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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. tear — from crying
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. file — a tool
  9. bound — certain
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — a grade
  12. face — to point toward
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ball — a great time
  15. file — a line of people
  16. tear — from crying
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ball — a dance
  20. tear — to rip
  21. face — to confront
  22. bear — the animal
  23. face — part of the head
  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