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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. file — a tool
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. pit — a hole
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. file — a document
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. spring — a coil
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. file — a line of people
  11. spring — the season
  12. can — a tin
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. tear — to rip
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. can — to be able to
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. tear — from crying
  20. can — a tin
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — in a race
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. tear — from crying

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