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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. lean — to bend
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. face — part of the head
  8. file — a line of people
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pop — music
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pop — to visit
  19. face — to point toward
  20. shower — rain
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. pop — soda
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. face — to confront

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