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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. ground — the earth
  3. mug — to rob
  4. ground — crushed
  5. net — in sport
  6. mug — a face
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. file — a document
  9. staff — employees
  10. charge — a price
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — a line
  13. net — after costs
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. stand — to bear
  17. ground — a position
  18. file — a line of people
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mug — a cup
  22. net — for catching
  23. row — to paddle
  24. charge — in control

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