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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. staff — a stick
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ground — crushed
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. file — a line of people
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. pitch — completely
  11. file — a tool
  12. fall — the season
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to click
  15. wax — to grow
  16. can — a tin
  17. ground — a position
  18. can — to be able to
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. staff — employees
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. can — a tin
  24. staff — employees

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