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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — hasty
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. file — a tool
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rock — a stone
  8. dip — to sink
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. file — a document
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rock — music
  20. wind — moving air
  21. file — a line of people
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. dip — to dunk

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