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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 116 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. rash — hasty
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wind — moving air
  7. file — a document
  8. board — a committee
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. file — a tool
  13. rash — a series
  14. fork — in a road
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. board — to get on
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. wind — moving air
  24. ruler — a monarch

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