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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. current — happening now
  3. face — to point toward
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. file — a line of people
  6. dip — to sink
  7. chest — of your body
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — part of the head
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. tear — from crying
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chest — of your body
  14. ball — a great time
  15. file — a document
  16. current — of water
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. chest — a box
  19. pass — a permit
  20. tear — to rip
  21. ball — a dance
  22. current — electric
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. tear — from crying

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