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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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. file — a document
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. file — a tool
  5. lie — to recline
  6. court — of law
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bound — certain
  11. court — of a king
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. rash — a series
  15. court — for sport
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bear — the animal
  18. file — a line of people
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bound — obliged
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bound — tied together
  24. rash — hasty

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