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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. can — to be able to
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. game — a match
  5. can — a tin
  6. perch — the fish
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. rest — what's left
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. game — wild animals
  12. pit — in a race
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. file — a line of people
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. staff — employees
  17. file — a tool
  18. staff — employees
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. staff — a stick
  23. can — a tin
  24. perch — for a bird

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