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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. cue — a hint
  3. file — a tool
  4. field — for sport
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. cue — a signal
  9. field — a subject
  10. can — a tin
  11. hand — help
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pop — music
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. file — a line of people
  16. present — there
  17. field — farmland
  18. can — a tin
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. present — the time now
  21. cue — for pool
  22. hand — in cards
  23. can — to be able to
  24. present — a gift

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