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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. file — a tool
  5. ground — the earth
  6. firm — steady
  7. present — the time now
  8. craft — boats
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — an amount
  11. firm — decided
  12. present — there
  13. firm — a company
  14. ground — a position
  15. present — a gift
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bulb — for light
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bulb — for light
  22. degree — from a university
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a music group

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