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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. dip — to sink
  3. file — a tool
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rest — a break
  9. chip — to eat
  10. ball — a great time
  11. saw — the tool
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. file — a document
  14. craft — boats
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. chip — for betting
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. rest — what's left
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ball — a dance
  24. file — a line of people

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