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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. kick — in football
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. rest — a break
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rest — what's left
  11. file — a tool
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pitch — completely
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. file — a document

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