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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rest · file · stand · ball · chip · foot · spring · fan

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. rest — what's left
  3. file — a tool
  4. stand — to bear
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. file — a document
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. chip — to eat
  13. file — a line of people
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. chip — for betting
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rest — what's left
  20. spring — the season
  21. ball — a great time
  22. rest — a break
  23. spring — a coil
  24. spring — of water

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