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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. tear — to rip
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. file — a tool
  7. file — a line of people
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rush — hurry
  10. board — to get on
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. tear — from crying
  18. file — a document
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. board — a committee
  21. firm — decided
  22. charge — in control
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — a company

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