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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 120 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. fine — all right
  3. rest — a break
  4. file — a document
  5. file — a line of people
  6. fine — high quality
  7. net — in sport
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. net — for catching
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. net — after costs
  13. face — to confront
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bound — certain
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. face — to point toward
  20. file — a tool
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bound — obliged
  24. safe — a strongbox

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