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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. file — a tool
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. root — the cause
  6. file — a document
  7. ball — a dance
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. root — of a plant
  11. ball — a great time
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. root — of a word
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. file — a line of people
  19. perch — the fish
  20. kid — child
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. kid — to tease
  24. coach — a trainer

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