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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 120 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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. file — a document
  4. firm — a company
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. root — of a word
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. file — a tool
  10. root — of a plant
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. firm — steady
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. firm — decided
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. root — the cause
  21. pound — a weight
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. arm — a part of something

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