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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  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. mug — to rob
  2. file — a document
  3. suit — to fit
  4. race — a contest
  5. suit — clothes
  6. race — the arms race
  7. face — to point toward
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. file — a tool
  10. content — happy
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mug — a cup
  15. suit — in cards
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. content — the amount
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mug — a face
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. race — humankind
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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