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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 120 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. file — a document
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. mark — a grade
  5. shower — to wash
  6. lie — to recline
  7. file — a line of people
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. shower — rain
  18. wound — an injury
  19. file — a tool
  20. wound — an injury
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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