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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. file — a document
  3. fine — all right
  4. cap — a hat
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. land — ground
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fine — high quality
  13. land — to come down
  14. ball — a dance
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. file — a line of people
  17. file — a tool
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. land — a country

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