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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. file — a line of people
  11. present — a gift
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. rash — a series
  16. present — there
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. file — a tool
  22. rash — hasty
  23. present — the time now
  24. straw — dry grass

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