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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. tube — a container
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. file — a document
  6. track — a song
  7. scale — size or range
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. dip — to sink
  11. track — to keep track
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. track — a path
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. sharp — clever
  21. file — a line of people
  22. tube — the underground
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — in music

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