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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 rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. mug — a face
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rash — a series
  6. mug — to rob
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. hand — in cards
  9. rest — a break
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. file — a line of people
  12. rash — hasty
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rock — music
  15. row — a line
  16. row — to paddle
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. saw — the tool
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. mug — a cup
  24. hand — help

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