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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pop — music
  4. rock — music
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pit — in a race
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cue — for pool
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. pop — to visit
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. cue — a hint
  15. rock — a stone
  16. file — a document
  17. rash — a series
  18. pop — soda
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. rash — hasty
  22. staff — a stick
  23. file — a tool
  24. cue — a signal

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