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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. court — of a king
  4. lean — thin
  5. board — a committee
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. court — for sport
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. file — a line of people
  10. lean — to bend
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mark — a trace
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mark — a grade
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. court — of law
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bat — the animal
  24. file — a tool

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