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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 120 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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bat — the animal
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. object — a thing
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rule — a law
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. object — to protest
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. mine — for digging
  23. object — an aim
  24. rule — government

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