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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. swing — in golf
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. root — of a plant
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lie — to recline
  8. file — a tool
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. file — a line of people
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. root — the cause
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. rest — what's left
  17. root — of a word
  18. swing — music
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rest — a break
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. branch — a division
  23. swing — to play on
  24. fan — a supporter

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