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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. file — a tool
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. file — a document
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bulb — for light
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. shower — to wash
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lean — thin
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. shower — rain
  24. lean — to rest against

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