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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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 tool
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bear — the animal
  6. firm — decided
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. firm — a company
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bore — to drill
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. march — music
  16. firm — steady
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bear — the animal
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. file — a document
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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