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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. content — happy
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bound — obliged
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. file — a document
  11. rock — a stone
  12. object — to protest
  13. file — a tool
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. content — the amount
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. chip — for betting
  18. rush — hurry
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rock — music
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bound — tied together
  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