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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: file · field · spell · rule · saw · jam · mate · swing

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. mate — a friend
  4. saw — the tool
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. file — a document
  9. spell — magic
  10. swing — to play on
  11. mate — a partner
  12. rule — a law
  13. swing — music
  14. mate — to breed
  15. spell — a short time
  16. rule — government
  17. field — a subject
  18. field — farmland
  19. swing — in golf
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. file — a line of people
  22. field — for sport
  23. file — a tool
  24. spell — letters

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