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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bat — the animal
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bound — certain
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. file — a tool
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a music group
  21. file — a document
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. wake — a trail

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