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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: file · jam · chest · rock · fine · stick · ball · cell

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. chest — of your body
  4. file — a line of people
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — high quality
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. file — a tool
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cell — in biology
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. chest — a box
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. file — a document
  20. ball — a great time
  21. chest — of your body
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a dance

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