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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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 — an untruth
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lie — to recline
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. file — a tool
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. key — the most important part
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. press — to push
  14. key — in music
  15. file — a document
  16. saw — the tool
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rule — government
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rule — a law
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bulb — for light
  24. calf — a young animal

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