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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. file — a document
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bat — the animal
  5. wax — to grow
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pit — in a race
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. file — a line of people
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. file — a tool
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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