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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. row — a line
  3. cue — a hint
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. rash — a series
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. file — a tool
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. file — a line of people
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rash — hasty
  14. object — to protest
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pitch — completely
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — a thing
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. file — a document

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