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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. last — final
  5. toast — bread
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. file — a tool
  8. last — to go on
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. pit — in a race
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. object — a thing
  13. pit — a hole
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. rule — government
  16. mug — to rob
  17. object — an aim
  18. rule — a law
  19. last — finally
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. mug — a cup
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. object — to protest
  24. mug — a face

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