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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. charge — a price
  6. stock — goods
  7. key — the most important part
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. file — a document
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bark — to shout
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. key — for a lock
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stock — shares
  18. perch — the fish
  19. charge — in control
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. file — a line of people
  24. key — in music

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