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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. mate — to breed
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. file — a line of people
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. pitch — completely
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. file — a tool
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — moving air
  20. mate — a partner
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. pound — a weight
  24. mate — a friend

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