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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 116 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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. tear — to rip
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. perch — the fish
  9. file — a line of people
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — all right
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. land — to come down
  14. rush — hurry
  15. tear — from crying
  16. file — a tool
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. land — ground
  22. fine — high quality
  23. land — a country
  24. hide — animal skin

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