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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. charge — in control
  12. tube — a container
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. tube — the underground
  15. charge — a price
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. charge — electricity
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. file — a line of people
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. file — a tool
  23. rush — hurry
  24. fork — to eat with

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