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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. object — a thing
  3. bear — the animal
  4. object — to protest
  5. fall — the season
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. object — an aim
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pitch — completely
  10. file — a tool
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rest — a break
  17. file — a document
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. rest — what's left
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fan — a supporter

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