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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. file — a line of people
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. firm — steady
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mate — a friend
  11. board — to get on
  12. mark — a trace
  13. board — a committee
  14. file — a document
  15. mark — a grade
  16. firm — decided
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pound — a weight
  22. saw — the tool
  23. firm — a company
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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