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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 116 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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. file — a line of people
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. squash — the sport
  7. club — for golf
  8. lie — to recline
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. file — a tool
  11. squash — to crush
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. hand — help
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — a group
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ball — a great time
  24. safe — out of danger

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