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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. squash — the sport
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. squash — to crush
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. stock — goods
  10. cue — for pool
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cue — a hint
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bear — the animal
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. cue — a signal
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bear — the animal
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. stock — shares

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