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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  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 document
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. track — to keep track
  9. clip — a video
  10. clip — to cut
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wake — a trail
  13. clip — for paper
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. track — a path
  22. track — a song
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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