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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. file — a document
  4. fine — all right
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. file — a line of people
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. clip — for paper
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. game — wild animals
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. clip — to cut
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. clip — a video
  23. game — a match
  24. file — a tool

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