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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. swing — music
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — crushed
  7. swing — in golf
  8. mine — for digging
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. season — in sport
  13. file — a line of people
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. file — a tool
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. ground — the earth
  20. swing — to play on
  21. season — of the year
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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