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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. spell — letters
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bear — the animal
  5. face — to confront
  6. present — the time now
  7. spell — a short time
  8. face — to point toward
  9. file — a document
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. spell — magic
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. present — a gift
  15. bear — the animal
  16. face — part of the head
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. file — a tool
  21. present — there
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. nail — for a hammer

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