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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. staff — employees
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. staff — employees
  6. pit — a hole
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bank — for money
  9. file — a tool
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bank — for money
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. track — to keep track
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bank — of a river
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. file — a line of people

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