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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rule — a law
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bulb — for light
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — government
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rest — what's left
  16. band — a music group
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wax — to grow
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. file — a tool
  22. band — a ring
  23. rest — a break
  24. wax — for sculpting

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