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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lean — thin
  3. file — a tool
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. file — a document
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rock — a stone
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bass — low music
  18. rock — music
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rule — a law
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. lean — to bend
  24. file — a line of people

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