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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pass — a permit
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. fork — in a road
  8. file — a tool
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. object — a thing
  12. charge — a price
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. object — to protest
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. object — an aim
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rule — a law
  21. charge — electricity
  22. rule — government
  23. file — a line of people
  24. charge — in control

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