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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. charge — in control
  4. file — a document
  5. file — a tool
  6. present — there
  7. charge — electricity
  8. lie — to recline
  9. wound — an injury
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wound — an injury
  14. track — a path
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stand — to bear
  18. track — to keep track
  19. charge — a price
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. present — a gift
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. track — a song
  24. file — a line of people

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