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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. file — a document
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — in sport
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. file — a tool
  8. rock — music
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. suit — clothes
  16. season — of the year
  17. file — a line of people
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. board — a committee
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. suit — in cards
  22. board — to get on
  23. suit — to fit
  24. trunk — of a tree

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