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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a document
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. wind — moving air
  9. court — of a king
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. file — a tool
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. court — for sport
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. swing — in golf
  18. fine — high quality
  19. can — to be able to
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fine — all right
  22. court — of law
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wind — moving air

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