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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. file — a document
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. fine — all right
  6. current — electric
  7. firm — a company
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. firm — decided
  10. current — happening now
  11. cap — of ice
  12. file — a line of people
  13. current — of water
  14. fine — high quality
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. firm — steady
  20. file — a tool
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. cap — a hat
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. kick — in football

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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