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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a tool
  3. face — to point toward
  4. mate — a friend
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mate — a partner
  7. face — part of the head
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — of the year
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. file — a document
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. suit — in cards
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. face — to confront
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. mate — to breed

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