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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 124 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with 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. bulb — of a plant
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rock — music
  5. file — a document
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rash — a series
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bulb — for light
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. object — a thing
  15. rash — hasty
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — to protest
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rock — a stone
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. file — a tool

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