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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. wound — an injury
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wind — moving air
  7. file — a line of people
  8. chip — to eat
  9. file — a document
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. root — of a word
  13. wind — moving air
  14. foot — a measure
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. wound — an injury
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. root — of a plant
  22. chip — for betting
  23. root — the cause
  24. bulb — for light

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