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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a tool
  3. stock — goods
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. kick — in football
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. race — a contest
  11. file — a document
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. race — humankind
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. stock — shares
  16. race — the arms race
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pitch — completely
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. kick — a thrill

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