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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. cell — in biology
  4. file — a document
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. object — a thing
  7. charge — a price
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. object — an aim
  10. stock — shares
  11. charge — in control
  12. stand — to bear
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rule — a law
  16. object — to protest
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. rule — government
  20. cell — a phone
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. file — a line of people
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. stock — goods

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