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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a document
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bass — low music
  5. mark — a trace
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. file — a tool
  8. charge — a price
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. charge — in control
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. mark — a grade
  15. craft — a skill
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bass — the fish
  18. charge — electricity
  19. craft — boats
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. dip — to sink
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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