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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · bay · pound · staff · racket · ruler · swing · temple

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. file — a tool
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. swing — music
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. swing — to play on
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pound — a weight
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. file — a document
  18. staff — a stick
  19. file — a line of people
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. ruler — for measuring

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