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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. cap — of ice
  4. file — a line of people
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. pit — a hole
  7. cue — a hint
  8. firm — a company
  9. mug — a face
  10. sharp — clever
  11. cap — a lid
  12. file — a document
  13. cue — a signal
  14. mug — a cup
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. firm — decided
  17. cue — for pool
  18. firm — steady
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mug — to rob
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. trunk — of a car

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