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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: bat · can · swing · pit · march · hide · file · ruler

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. swing — in golf
  5. can — a tin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. march — the month
  9. file — a document
  10. pit — a hole
  11. file — a tool
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. march — music
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. can — a tin
  18. pit — in a race
  19. march — the month
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. can — to be able to
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bat — the animal
  24. file — a line of people

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