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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bass — low music
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. rest — what's left
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bass — the fish
  8. rule — a law
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rest — a break
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rule — government
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. file — a document
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. rest — what's left
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. wake — before a funeral

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