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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for golf
  4. march — the month
  5. bass — low music
  6. file — a tool
  7. file — a document
  8. march — the month
  9. club — for dancing
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. track — a path
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to sink
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. file — a line of people
  17. bass — the fish
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. march — music
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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