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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. scale — size or range
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. chest — of your body
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. firm — steady
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a tool
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. scale — in music
  12. capital — a city
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. firm — a company
  15. row — to paddle
  16. chest — of your body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. firm — decided
  19. dip — to sink
  20. capital — money
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. row — a line
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. chest — a box

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