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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a document
  3. face — part of the head
  4. file — a line of people
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. ball — a great time
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. ball — a dance
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — clever

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