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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mine — for digging
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. fine — all right
  9. stand — to bear
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. file — a tool
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. file — a document
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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