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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. file — a tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. drill — a practice
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. file — a document
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. file — a line of people
  19. drill — the tool
  20. fork — in a road
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. sharp — clever
  23. drill — army training
  24. ruler — for measuring

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