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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. key — in music
  3. mug — a cup
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. shower — rain
  6. charge — in control
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. date — the fruit
  11. mug — a face
  12. pitch — completely
  13. file — a line of people
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. shower — to wash
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. mug — to rob
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. file — a tool
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. charge — a price

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