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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 120 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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. file — a line of people
  4. object — a thing
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. field — a subject
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — a tool
  9. chip — to eat
  10. mark — a grade
  11. file — a tool
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. field — for sport
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. field — farmland
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mark — a trace
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — an aim
  24. bulb — for light

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