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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. shower — rain
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. foot — a measure
  7. file — a line of people
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a tool
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. shower — to wash
  14. toast — bread
  15. key — the most important part
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. key — for a lock
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mug — to rob
  23. key — in music
  24. coach — a trainer

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