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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rash — a series
  5. can — to be able to
  6. file — a tool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. wind — moving air
  12. can — a tin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. file — a document
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. rash — hasty
  18. file — a line of people
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. can — a tin

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