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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  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 tool
  2. can — a tin
  3. mine — for digging
  4. file — a line of people
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. can — a tin
  7. mug — a face
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. cell — in biology
  10. can — to be able to
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. mug — a cup
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. cell — a phone
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. file — a document
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — exactly
  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