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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. file — a line of people
  8. mug — a face
  9. content — happy
  10. craft — a skill
  11. file — a tool
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mug — a cup
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. content — the amount
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. craft — boats
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. plane — a tool

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