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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. file — a document
  6. deal — to handle
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. object — to protest
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — moving air
  12. file — a line of people
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. charge — in control
  18. object — an aim
  19. face — to confront
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. face — part of the head
  22. object — a thing
  23. face — to point toward
  24. lie — to recline

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