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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bound — obliged
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. scale — in music
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. can — a tin
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. scale — size or range
  15. snap — to click
  16. swing — to play on
  17. ground — crushed
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — music
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ground — a position
  22. file — a document
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — tied together

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