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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. capital — a city
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. race — a contest
  8. capital — money
  9. object — to protest
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. object — an aim
  13. race — the arms race
  14. foot — a measure
  15. object — a thing
  16. chest — of your body
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. race — humankind
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a tool
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. face — to confront

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