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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 124 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 walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. wound — an injury
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. file — a tool
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wound — an injury
  13. band — a music group
  14. can — to be able to
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. fork — in a road
  20. foot — a measure
  21. file — a document
  22. band — a ring
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. fork — to eat with

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