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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. content — happy
  3. board — a committee
  4. file — a document
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pop — to visit
  9. content — the amount
  10. cap — of ice
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a friend
  13. board — to get on
  14. craft — boats
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pop — soda
  17. file — a tool
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. pop — music
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — in a race
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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