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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pit — in a race
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — a partner
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. pit — a hole
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. suit — in cards
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. suit — clothes
  23. file — a document
  24. file — 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