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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. file — a tool
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. file — a document
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mug — a face
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. mug — a cup
  10. file — a line of people
  11. charge — a price
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. wake — a trail
  18. rule — government
  19. rule — a law
  20. lean — thin
  21. charge — in control
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. mug — to rob
  24. trunk — of a car

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