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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. file — a document
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. file — a line of people
  9. root — of a word
  10. squash — the sport
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. root — of a plant
  19. chair — a leader
  20. root — the cause
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — in a race

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