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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. file — a document
  4. spring — of water
  5. file — a tool
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — the fruit
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. file — a line of people
  18. spring — the season
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. spring — a coil
  24. leaves — lets stay

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