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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. drill — a practice
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. firm — steady
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. firm — decided
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. kick — in football
  13. rest — what's left
  14. drill — army training
  15. firm — a company
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. file — a tool
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. file — a line of people
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. drill — the 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