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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 120 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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. spring — a coil
  3. rock — a stone
  4. file — a tool
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. file — a line of people
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. rock — music
  10. pop — soda
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pop — to visit
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bank — for money
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bank — of a river
  18. spring — of water
  19. bank — for money
  20. ground — a position
  21. spring — the season
  22. ground — crushed
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. pop — music

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