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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bear — the animal
  5. present — there
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. fine — all right
  8. present — a gift
  9. fine — high quality
  10. firm — steady
  11. present — the time now
  12. plane — a tool
  13. firm — decided
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. file — a document
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. firm — a company
  20. bass — low music
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bass — the fish
  24. fine — a penalty

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