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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. file — a document
  3. cap — a lid
  4. file — a tool
  5. season — in sport
  6. firm — steady
  7. wake — a trail
  8. court — of a king
  9. pit — in a race
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. swing — to play on
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. file — a line of people
  15. cap — of ice
  16. court — of law
  17. court — for sport
  18. pit — a hole
  19. swing — music
  20. cap — a hat
  21. season — of the year
  22. firm — a company
  23. swing — in golf
  24. firm — decided

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