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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. charge — in control
  4. mug — a cup
  5. file — a tool
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mug — to rob
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. charge — electricity
  15. mug — a face
  16. charge — a price
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. file — a document

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