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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. staff — employees
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wound — an injury
  5. charge — in control
  6. staff — employees
  7. club — for dancing
  8. file — a document
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. file — a tool
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. fall — to drop
  14. charge — a price
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. club — for golf
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wound — an injury
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. pit — in a race
  22. fall — the season
  23. club — a group
  24. pit — a hole

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