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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. lean — thin
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bark — to shout
  5. file — a document
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. suit — in cards
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — the fruit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. suit — to fit
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. suit — clothes
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. file — a line of people
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. lean — to bend
  24. patient — a sick person

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