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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. file — a tool
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. spell — a short time
  6. file — a line of people
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lean — to bend
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. track — a path
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. lean — thin
  14. spell — letters
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. track — a song
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. spell — magic
  19. file — a document
  20. track — to keep track
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. kick — in football
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. lie — an untruth

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