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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing 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. rash — a series
  3. rash — hasty
  4. hand — in cards
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. file — a document
  7. file — a tool
  8. face — to confront
  9. fall — to drop
  10. face — to point toward
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. fall — the season
  13. bank — for money
  14. face — part of the head
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bank — of a river
  18. hand — help
  19. fall — to drop
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bank — for money
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rash — on the skin

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