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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. file — a tool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mate — a friend
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mate — a partner
  8. chip — for betting
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rush — hurry
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. file — a line of people
  18. chip — to eat
  19. content — happy
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. content — the amount
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. file — a document
  24. chip — in a computer

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