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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 120 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. wake — a trail
  3. board — a committee
  4. spell — a short time
  5. race — humankind
  6. face — part of the head
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. race — a contest
  9. file — a line of people
  10. season — in sport
  11. root — of a word
  12. spell — magic
  13. race — the arms race
  14. face — to point toward
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. root — of a plant
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. season — of the year
  21. file — a tool
  22. root — the cause
  23. spell — letters
  24. face — to confront

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