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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. charge — electricity
  4. staff — employees
  5. club — a group
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. charge — in control
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. charge — a price
  11. lie — to recline
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. club — for golf
  17. scale — in music
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. file — a tool
  22. file — a document
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. club — for dancing

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