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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rock — a stone
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. sharp — clever
  10. saw — the tool
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. perch — the fish
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. file — a tool
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. file — a line of people
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. bear — the animal

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