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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. lie — to recline
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a document
  7. spring — of water
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. current — happening now
  10. rush — hurry
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. current — of water
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pound — a weight
  15. spring — a coil
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. spring — the season
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. current — electric
  24. lie — an untruth

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