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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a document
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. file — a line of people
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. root — of a word
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. band — a ring
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. root — the cause
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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