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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. can — a tin
  4. file — a document
  5. field — for sport
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. mate — a friend
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. present — the time now
  11. file — a line of people
  12. present — a gift
  13. mate — a partner
  14. wax — to grow
  15. present — there
  16. mate — to breed
  17. can — to be able to
  18. field — a subject
  19. field — farmland
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. file — a tool
  24. can — a tin

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