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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bound — certain
  3. file — a document
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. land — a country
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — ground
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bound — tied together
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bound — obliged
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. file — a tool
  20. charge — electricity
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. toast — bread

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