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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. wind — moving air
  3. file — a line of people
  4. object — a thing
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. cue — a signal
  7. object — an aim
  8. cue — a hint
  9. key — in music
  10. cue — for pool
  11. key — for a lock
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. wind — moving air
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. object — to protest
  18. last — finally
  19. kick — in football
  20. file — a tool
  21. last — to go on
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. key — the most important part
  24. last — final

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