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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — a gift
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fine — all right
  8. sharp — clever
  9. fine — high quality
  10. perch — the fish
  11. file — a line of people
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. present — there
  16. wound — an injury
  17. suit — clothes
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. file — a tool
  24. sharp — with an edge

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