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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. charge — in control
  3. rash — a series
  4. roll — a list
  5. file — a tool
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — from crying
  11. charge — a price
  12. foot — a measure
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. tear — to rip
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. charge — electricity
  21. file — a line of people
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. file — a document
  24. roll — a cake

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