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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. land — to come down
  7. object — an aim
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. object — a thing
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. file — a tool
  13. land — ground
  14. land — a country
  15. club — a group
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. object — to protest
  18. club — for dancing
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. club — for golf
  24. file — a document

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