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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. file — a line of people
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — the amount
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. file — a tool
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. band — a music group
  15. content — happy
  16. lie — to recline
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. band — a ring
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bowl — to roll

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