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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. scale — in music
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. club — a group
  10. cold — an illness
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. club — for golf
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. file — a document
  20. club — for dancing
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cold — not warm
  24. safe — out of danger

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