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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. track — a song
  3. lean — thin
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. file — a document
  7. bass — the fish
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. board — a committee
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. track — to keep track
  13. file — a tool
  14. lean — to bend
  15. track — a path
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bass — low music
  23. file — a line of people
  24. craft — boats

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