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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. mug — a face
  3. ball — a dance
  4. spell — letters
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mug — to rob
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mug — a cup
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. file — a document
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. file — a tool
  23. lean — thin
  24. nail — for a hammer

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