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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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bound — tied together
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. file — a document
  5. rest — what's left
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bound — certain
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. mark — a grade
  12. saw — the tool
  13. file — a tool
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rest — a break
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bound — obliged
  18. saw — the tool

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