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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. firm — steady
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. fall — the season
  5. dip — to sink
  6. file — a tool
  7. fall — to drop
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fall — to drop
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. row — to paddle
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. firm — decided
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. file — a document
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. row — a line
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. firm — a company

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