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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. file — a tool
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bound — tied together
  6. file — a line of people
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. saw — the tool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. stem — to come from
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. file — a document
  22. bound — certain
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bound — obliged

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