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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. march — the month
  3. file — a tool
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fall — the season
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. mug — a face
  9. file — a document
  10. bound — obliged
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bound — certain
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mug — to rob
  18. march — the month
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. march — music
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pit — in a race

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