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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bound — certain
  6. kid — child
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. file — a line of people
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rest — what's left
  14. kid — to tease
  15. rest — a break
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. file — a tool
  18. mug — a face
  19. bound — tied together
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pit — a hole
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. file — a document

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