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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. current — electric
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. ball — a great time
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bat — the animal
  10. current — of water
  11. fall — to drop
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. current — happening now
  15. fall — the season
  16. file — a tool
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. file — a line of people
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fall — to drop
  24. plane — an aircraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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