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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. scale — size or range
  3. rock — a stone
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. band — a ring
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. charge — electricity
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. charge — a price
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — a tool
  13. charge — in control
  14. file — a line of people
  15. band — a music group
  16. hand — in cards
  17. scale — in music
  18. rock — music
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. hand — help
  22. file — a tool
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. stand — to bear

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