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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 124 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. present — a gift
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. file — a tool
  5. track — a song
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. present — the time now
  9. lean — thin
  10. file — a line of people
  11. track — to keep track
  12. board — to get on
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. rush — hurry
  16. board — a committee
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bass — the fish
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. present — there
  21. lean — to bend
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bass — low music
  24. track — a path

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