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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a document
  3. land — ground
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. degree — temperature
  6. file — a tool
  7. firm — decided
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. firm — steady
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. firm — a company
  16. land — to come down
  17. degree — from a university
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. land — a country
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. toast — bread
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. degree — an amount

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