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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 116 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. face — to point toward
  3. chair — a leader
  4. rash — a series
  5. file — a tool
  6. file — a line of people
  7. drill — the tool
  8. rash — hasty
  9. drill — a practice
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. sharp — clever
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. bound — obliged
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bound — tied together
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. drill — army training
  20. face — to confront
  21. bound — certain
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. face — part of the head
  24. sharp — exactly

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