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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — happy
  6. file — a tool
  7. rule — government
  8. rock — a stone
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. file — a document
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. bowl — to roll

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