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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. tear — from crying
  3. file — a document
  4. mug — a cup
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. present — the time now
  8. file — a tool
  9. tube — the underground
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. tear — from crying
  12. present — a gift
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. can — a tin
  15. tube — a container
  16. present — there
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. temple — side of the head

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