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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. file — a document
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. sharp — clever
  14. squash — to crush
  15. swing — music
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. file — a line of people
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. swing — to play on
  24. squash — the sport

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