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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. spell — letters
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lean — thin
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lean — to bend
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. file — a tool
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. file — a line of people
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. mate — a partner
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. stand — to bear
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. leaves — of a tree

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