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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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. drill — army training
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mate — a partner
  6. drill — a practice
  7. current — of water
  8. mate — to breed
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mate — a friend
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. file — a tool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. file — a document
  16. lie — to recline
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mark — a trace
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — electric
  22. mark — a grade
  23. file — a line of people
  24. drill — the tool

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