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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. wound — an injury
  5. dip — to sink
  6. file — a line of people
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. file — a tool
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. sharp — clever
  17. wound — an injury
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bark — to shout
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ruler — for measuring

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