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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mate — to breed
  4. stem — to come from
  5. file — a tool
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. mate — a partner
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cap — a hat
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cap — of ice
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. file — a line of people
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. file — a document
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mouse — for 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