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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  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. toast — the most admired
  2. file — a document
  3. mug — a cup
  4. net — in sport
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. net — for catching
  7. toast — bread
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. net — after costs
  10. club — a group
  11. stem — to come from
  12. file — a line of people
  13. mug — a face
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. pit — in a race
  16. file — a tool
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pit — a hole
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mug — to rob
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — for dancing
  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