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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
468
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: snap · rash · cell · toast · fan · track · file · season

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. rash — a series
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cell — in biology
  5. track — a path
  6. season — in sport
  7. rash — hasty
  8. cell — a phone
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. file — a document
  11. season — of the year
  12. file — a tool
  13. toast — bread
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. snap — to click
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. track — to keep track
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. track — a song

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