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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. capital — money
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. can — to be able to
  7. season — of the year
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. file — a line of people
  14. stock — goods
  15. file — a tool
  16. lean — thin
  17. season — in sport
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. capital — a city
  24. lean — to bend

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