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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a line of people
  3. scale — in music
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. scale — size or range
  12. file — a tool
  13. perch — the fish
  14. dip — to sink
  15. mate — a partner
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. mark — a grade
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mate — a friend

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