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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. spell — letters
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. lie — to recline
  6. fine — all right
  7. current — happening now
  8. land — to come down
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. land — a country
  11. file — a line of people
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. current — of water
  16. spell — magic
  17. land — ground
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. current — electric
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. file — a document
  23. spell — a short time
  24. fan — a supporter

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