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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 116 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. march — the month
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. rock — music
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bound — tied together
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. march — the month
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — certain
  17. cell — a phone
  18. march — music
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a tool
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. racket — a loud noise

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