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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 120 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 was locked up in a ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. file — a tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cell — in biology
  8. wound — an injury
  9. file — a document
  10. bank — of a river
  11. game — a match
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. game — wild animals
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bank — for money
  16. craft — boats
  17. bank — for money
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. craft — a skill
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. cell — a phone
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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