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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. present — there
  3. tube — the underground
  4. charge — electricity
  5. present — the time now
  6. court — of law
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. board — a committee
  9. file — a line of people
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. court — of a king
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — a price
  16. pit — a hole
  17. board — to get on
  18. pit — in a race
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. tube — a container
  22. present — a gift
  23. file — a tool
  24. court — for sport

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