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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. pitch — completely
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. land — ground
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — in golf
  9. land — a country
  10. swing — to play on
  11. file — a document
  12. land — to come down
  13. scale — in music
  14. track — a song
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rock — music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. rock — a stone
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. file — a tool
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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