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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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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. saw — the tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. swing — music
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. file — a tool
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. file — a document
  17. swing — in golf
  18. temple — side of the head

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