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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. file — a document
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. mark — a grade
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pitch — completely
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lean — thin
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rest — what's left
  17. last — finally
  18. rest — what's left
  19. last — final
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. file — a tool
  22. rest — a break
  23. lean — to bend
  24. last — to go on

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