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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cap — a hat
  4. race — a contest
  5. file — a tool
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pop — music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cap — of ice
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pop — soda
  14. race — humankind
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. perch — the fish
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. file — a line of people
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cap — a lid
  24. march — the month

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