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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. mug — a cup
  5. snap — to click
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mug — a face
  10. present — there
  11. wake — a trail
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. fine — all right
  17. present — the time now
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. mine — for digging
  22. present — a gift
  23. fine — high quality
  24. hide — to keep secret

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