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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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Word bank
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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: rock · cap · bat · file · fork · mouse · nail · arm

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. file — a document
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. file — a line of people
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. file — a tool
  16. cap — a hat
  17. fork — in a road
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bat — the animal
  24. cap — a lid

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