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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. kid — to tease
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bank — for money
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. file — a tool
  11. bank — of a river
  12. wound — an injury
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. bank — for money
  15. kid — child
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wound — an injury
  20. board — a committee
  21. file — a line of people
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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