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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a document
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. file — a line of people
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. capital — a city
  16. rock — a stone
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. charge — in control
  20. track — a path
  21. charge — a price
  22. capital — money
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rock — music

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