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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. object — a thing
  4. file — a tool
  5. rule — a law
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. file — a document
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. object — an aim
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. object — to protest
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. tube — a container
  18. stem — to come from
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. rule — government
  24. file — a line of people

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