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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bass — the fish
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — high quality
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a tool
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. fine — all right
  16. object — an aim
  17. chest — a box
  18. wound — an injury
  19. object — to protest
  20. chest — of your body
  21. object — a thing
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bass — low music
  24. wound — an injury

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