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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. staff — a stick
  3. file — a document
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — thin
  12. prune — to trim
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. prune — to trim
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rock — music
  17. staff — employees
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. staff — employees
  21. lean — to bend
  22. rock — a stone
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a tool

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