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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 116 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. file — a document
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — a group
  9. file — a tool
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. fine — all right
  13. file — a line of people
  14. dip — to sink
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. fine — high quality
  20. lie — to recline
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mine — belonging to me

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