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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. club — for golf
  3. mug — to rob
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a document
  6. toast — bread
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. suit — to fit
  10. club — a group
  11. chest — of your body
  12. shower — rain
  13. club — for dancing
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. mug — a face
  18. chest — of your body
  19. suit — in cards
  20. mug — a cup
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. file — a tool
  23. shower — to wash
  24. suit — clothes

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