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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. file — a line of people
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bank — for money
  9. file — a document
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cap — a lid
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bank — for money
  18. charge — in control
  19. lie — to recline
  20. cap — of ice
  21. charge — a price
  22. cap — a hat
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. file — a tool

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