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

Word bank: sharp · file · rest · kid · bay · rock · stick · rush

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. kid — child
  6. kid — to tease
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rock — music
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. file — a line of people
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rest — a break
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rest — what's left
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. file — a tool
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rock — a stone
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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