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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. band — a ring
  5. file — a line of people
  6. rock — music
  7. wind — moving air
  8. mark — a trace
  9. wind — moving air
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. file — a tool
  16. rule — government
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. rule — a law
  21. rock — a stone
  22. foot — a measure
  23. mark — a grade
  24. band — a music group

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