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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. file — a tool
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. shower — rain
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. file — a line of people
  7. track — to keep track
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. toast — bread
  10. scale — in music
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. file — a document
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. track — a path
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. shower — to wash
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. track — a song
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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