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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a document
  3. bass — low music
  4. rule — government
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. spell — letters
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. craft — a skill
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bass — the fish
  11. spell — a short time
  12. craft — boats
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. file — a tool
  15. spell — magic
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. rule — a law
  20. staff — employees
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. staff — employees
  24. temple — a place of worship

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