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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. saw — the tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pop — music
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. rock — music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. file — a tool
  15. rock — a stone
  16. file — a document
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bay — a horse colour

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