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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 rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. file — a line of people
  8. file — a document
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. swing — in golf
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mine — for digging
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. firm — steady
  22. bat — the animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. racket — a loud noise

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