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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. file — a line of people
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. charge — electricity
  6. object — an aim
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. charge — in control
  13. march — music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cell — a phone
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. charge — a price
  23. file — a document
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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