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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bound — tied together
  3. suit — in cards
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. fork — in a road
  7. file — a line of people
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. court — for sport
  11. snap — to click
  12. rock — music
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. file — a tool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rock — a stone
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. cell — a phone
  24. suit — to fit

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