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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. rest — what's left
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — the earth
  5. deal — to handle
  6. file — a line of people
  7. can — a tin
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. rest — a break
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. file — a tool
  14. degree — from a university
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. can — a tin
  18. degree — an amount
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ground — crushed
  24. degree — temperature

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