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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — a measure
  3. file — a document
  4. can — a tin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. can — a tin
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bound — obliged
  9. roll — a cake
  10. rush — hurry
  11. file — a line of people
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bound — tied together
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. file — a tool
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. roll — a list
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bound — certain

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