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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 124 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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a line of people
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. face — to point toward
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. scale — in music
  8. chair — a leader
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. can — a tin
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. last — finally
  17. scale — size or range
  18. face — to confront
  19. last — final
  20. file — a tool
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — a container
  23. face — part of the head
  24. last — to go on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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