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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. game — wild animals
  3. file — a line of people
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mine — for digging
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ground — a position
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. file — a tool
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. fine — all right
  15. game — a match
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ground — crushed
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. game — a kind of play

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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