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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a document
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. perch — the fish
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. file — a line of people
  12. cue — a signal
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. cue — a hint
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pit — in a race
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pound — a weight
  22. fine — all right
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pit — a hole

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