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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  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. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stock — shares
  8. can — a tin
  9. file — a document
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. rule — a law
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. craft — a skill
  14. can — a tin
  15. file — a tool
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. can — to be able to
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. craft — boats
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. club — for golf
  23. rule — government
  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