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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bound — tied together
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stand — to bear
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. file — a document
  12. current — of water
  13. fall — the season
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. file — a line of people
  16. bound — certain
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bound — obliged
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fall — to drop
  24. stand — for spectators

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