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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as 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. field — farmland
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. key — for a lock
  10. perch — the fish
  11. key — in music
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rest — what's left
  15. file — a tool
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. field — for sport
  18. field — a subject
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. file — a document
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bulb — for light
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. perch — for a bird

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