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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rule — a law
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. suit — in cards
  9. file — a line of people
  10. mark — a trace
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. file — a tool
  14. snap — to click
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. sharp — clever
  20. chair — a leader
  21. mark — a grade
  22. suit — to fit
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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