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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: pitcher · file · sharp · rock · mouse · bass · wound · root

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. file — a document
  4. root — of a word
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. wound — an injury
  8. file — a tool
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. root — of a plant
  13. file — a line of people
  14. rock — music
  15. bass — low music
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. root — the cause
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bass — the fish
  20. sharp — clever
  21. rock — a stone
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. sharp — exactly

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