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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. present — the time now
  3. file — a line of people
  4. fall — to drop
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pitch — completely
  12. present — a gift
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. file — a document
  20. pound — a weight
  21. fall — the season
  22. present — there
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. racket — for tennis

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