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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a tool
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. march — music
  7. current — of water
  8. march — the month
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. band — a music group
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. scale — in music
  13. current — electric
  14. current — happening now
  15. band — a ring
  16. scale — size or range
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. file — a document
  24. march — the month

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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