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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. suit — clothes
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — for golf
  5. march — music
  6. file — a tool
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. club — a group
  10. stock — shares
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. suit — to fit
  13. march — the month
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. file — a document
  17. rest — a break
  18. march — the month
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. stock — goods
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. rest — what's left
  24. suit — in cards

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