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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. can — a tin
  3. spell — a short time
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. board — to get on
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. can — to be able to
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. spell — letters
  11. current — electric
  12. can — a tin
  13. file — a line of people
  14. rash — hasty
  15. board — a committee
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rash — a series
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. current — happening now
  21. stem — to come from
  22. spell — magic
  23. file — a tool
  24. current — of water

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