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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. face — to point toward
  5. file — a document
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. file — a tool
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. scale — size or range
  10. court — of a king
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — soda
  16. face — to confront
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. face — part of the head
  19. pop — music
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. scale — in music
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. patient — a sick person

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