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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. swing — music
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. rock — music
  8. tube — a container
  9. rock — a stone
  10. swing — to play on
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. file — a document
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. staff — a stick
  15. tube — the underground
  16. stem — to come from
  17. scale — size or range
  18. staff — employees
  19. scale — in music
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. staff — employees
  22. swing — in golf
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. file — a line of people

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