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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. fine — all right
  4. drill — army training
  5. rock — music
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rule — government
  9. firm — a company
  10. rule — a law
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — steady
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. drill — a practice
  19. fine — high quality
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. drill — the tool
  24. file — a line of people

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