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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. file — a document
  3. firm — steady
  4. face — to confront
  5. file — a tool
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. face — to point toward
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. firm — a company
  13. hand — in cards
  14. firm — decided
  15. present — a gift
  16. file — a line of people
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. can — to be able to
  19. sharp — clever
  20. face — part of the head
  21. can — a tin
  22. present — there
  23. present — the time now
  24. hand — help

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