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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. squash — to crush
  4. firm — a company
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. firm — decided
  7. chest — of your body
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. file — a line of people
  11. chest — a box
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. file — a tool
  16. firm — steady
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. squash — the sport
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. chest — of your body
  21. kick — in football
  22. rush — hurry
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. plane — a tool

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