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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. spell — magic
  3. file — a line of people
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. scale — in music
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stand — to bear
  13. spell — a short time
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pitch — completely
  18. file — a tool
  19. spell — letters
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. scale — size or range
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stand — on your feet

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