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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. content — happy
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pit — in a race
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. pit — a hole
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a tool
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. content — the amount

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