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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.

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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bulb — for light
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. dip — to sink
  6. field — for sport
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. field — farmland
  12. cue — for pool
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. file — a tool
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cue — a signal
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bulb — for light
  23. field — a subject
  24. pass — a permit

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