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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 120 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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mug — a cup
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. mug — a face
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mug — to rob
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. clip — a video
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — a series
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. clip — for paper
  20. file — a tool
  21. clip — to cut
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. rule — a law
  24. file — a line of people

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