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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. current — happening now
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. file — a document
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rest — a break
  9. current — electric
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. tear — to rip
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. file — a tool
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. tear — from crying
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. current — of water
  23. bear — the animal
  24. tear — from crying

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