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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · last · racket · rock · file · ball · fork · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. file — a document
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. file — a line of people
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rock — a stone
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — all right
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. last — finally
  15. last — to go on
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. file — a tool
  19. rock — music
  20. last — final
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. racket — a loud noise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com