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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. rash — hasty
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. rash — a series
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a tool
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. track — a song
  9. scale — size or range
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. scale — in music
  12. stand — to bear
  13. saw — the tool
  14. prune — to trim
  15. kick — in football
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. track — a path
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. track — to keep track
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. saw — the tool

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