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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. file — a document
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. swing — to play on
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. present — there
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. ball — a dance
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. swing — in golf
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cell — in biology
  21. swing — music
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. ball — a great time
  24. cabinet — ministers

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