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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. mug — a face
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. rest — what's left
  5. land — a country
  6. rest — what's left
  7. file — a document
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rest — a break
  10. lean — thin
  11. mug — to rob
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bank — for money
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — completely
  16. lean — to bend
  17. land — to come down
  18. mug — a cup
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. land — ground
  21. file — a tool
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bank — for money
  24. fan — to cool the air

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