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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. foot — a measure
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. file — a document
  5. firm — a company
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. capital — money
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. band — a music group
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. file — a tool
  14. firm — decided
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. file — a line of people
  20. firm — steady
  21. capital — a city
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a ring

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