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

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. can — to be able to
  7. charge — in control
  8. bat — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. file — a tool
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. lie — to recline
  21. file — a document
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. prune — the fruit

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