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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. rest — what's left
  3. file — a line of people
  4. rest — a break
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. file — a tool
  13. rest — what's left
  14. chest — of your body
  15. fork — in a road
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. root — the cause
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chest — of your body
  21. lie — to recline
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. file — a document

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