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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  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. leaves — to go away
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. file — a line of people
  5. fork — in a road
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. rash — a series
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. file — a document
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. file — a tool
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. chip — for betting
  22. deal — to handle
  23. rash — hasty
  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