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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rule — a law
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a path
  6. rule — government
  7. file — a tool
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cell — in biology
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. file — a document
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rock — music
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rock — a stone
  19. file — a line of people
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cell — a phone
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. track — a song
  24. calf — of the leg

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