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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 116 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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bat — the animal
  3. file — a line of people
  4. file — a tool
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. capital — money
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lean — to bend
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. plane — a tool
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lean — thin
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. capital — a city
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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