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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 116 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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bass — low music
  8. current — happening now
  9. shower — to wash
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. file — a tool
  13. file — a line of people
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. content — the amount
  17. current — of water
  18. shower — rain
  19. content — happy
  20. season — in sport
  21. bass — the fish
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. current — electric
  24. season — of the year

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