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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a line of people
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. board — a committee
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mine — for digging
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pit — a hole
  18. plane — a tool
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. board — to get on
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. file — a tool

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