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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a line of people
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. can — a tin
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. chest — a box
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bound — obliged
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bass — low music
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bass — the fish
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. can — a tin
  22. bound — tied together
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bound — certain

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