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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. file — a document
  5. kick — in football
  6. file — a tool
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. march — music
  9. drill — the tool
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. march — the month
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. march — the month
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. dip — to sink
  17. rock — music
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. rock — a stone
  22. drill — army training
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. rock — to move gently

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