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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
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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: object · field · key · kick · file · fan · tube · pop

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. field — farmland
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. object — an aim
  6. file — a document
  7. key — in music
  8. pop — soda
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. field — a subject
  11. object — to protest
  12. key — for a lock
  13. tube — the underground
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. tube — a container
  16. kick — in football
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pop — to visit
  19. key — the most important part
  20. field — for sport
  21. pop — music
  22. file — a tool
  23. object — a thing
  24. kick — with a leg

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