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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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. file — a document
  3. saw — the tool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. file — a tool
  9. lean — to bend
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. file — a line of people
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. current — electric
  20. current — happening now
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. current — of water

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