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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. charge — a price
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. file — a document
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. cap — a hat
  11. file — a line of people
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. cap — of ice
  15. charge — electricity
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. charge — in control
  24. file — a tool

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