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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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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bear — the animal
  7. sharp — clever
  8. file — a document
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. can — a tin
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. can — a tin
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. file — a tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. can — to be able to

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