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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  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. file — a line of people
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. season — of the year
  6. ball — a dance
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. season — in sport
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. rush — hurry
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. board — a committee
  14. tear — to rip
  15. file — a document
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — to get on
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. tear — from crying
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. tear — from crying
  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