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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. chest — a box
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. fork — in a road
  7. toast — bread
  8. file — a line of people
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rest — a break
  11. file — a tool
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rest — what's left
  14. chest — of your body
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. chest — of your body
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to dunk

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