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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. stand — to bear
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. lean — thin
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. firm — decided
  10. lean — to bend
  11. file — a document
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. firm — steady
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mine — for digging
  24. firm — a company

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