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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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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: stem · nail · file · fine · pitch · hand · mark · mouse

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. stem — to come from
  6. pitch — completely
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. fine — high quality
  10. file — a document
  11. hand — help
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fine — all right
  16. file — a line of people
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mark — a grade
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. hand — in cards
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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