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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ground — a position
  3. file — a document
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mug — a cup
  6. file — a line of people
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. file — a tool
  11. ground — the earth
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. ground — crushed
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mug — a face
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. fork — in a road

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