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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. staff — a stick
  3. fine — high quality
  4. file — a document
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. staff — employees
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. fine — all right
  12. pitch — completely
  13. perch — the fish
  14. file — a tool
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rock — a stone
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rock — music
  20. staff — employees
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. chip — to eat
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. chip — in a computer

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