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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 116 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. file — a tool
  3. staff — employees
  4. file — a document
  5. band — a music group
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pitch — completely
  8. band — a ring
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. staff — a stick
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. cap — of ice
  18. staff — employees
  19. cap — a hat
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. file — a line of people
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. cap — a lid

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