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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a document
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. charge — a price
  6. spring — of water
  7. perch — the fish
  8. swing — in golf
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. swing — music
  11. shower — to wash
  12. can — a tin
  13. spring — the season
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. charge — in control
  16. can — a tin
  17. swing — to play on
  18. key — for a lock
  19. shower — rain
  20. can — to be able to
  21. spring — a coil
  22. charge — electricity
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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