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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. mate — to breed
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bank — for money
  5. file — a document
  6. firm — steady
  7. dip — to sink
  8. race — the arms race
  9. firm — a company
  10. cap — a hat
  11. mate — a partner
  12. file — a tool
  13. bank — for money
  14. race — a contest
  15. capital — a city
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. capital — money
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. firm — decided
  20. bank — of a river
  21. race — humankind
  22. mate — a friend
  23. cap — of ice
  24. capital — a big letter

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