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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mug — to rob
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. spring — of water
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. spring — the season
  9. staff — employees
  10. mug — a cup
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. file — a line of people
  14. sharp — clever
  15. spring — a coil
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. root — of a plant
  18. cap — a lid
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mug — a face
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. cap — a hat

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