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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 120 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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. net — for catching
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a document
  6. firm — a company
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. net — after costs
  9. firm — decided
  10. bear — the animal
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rush — hurry
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. file — a line of people
  23. firm — steady
  24. charge — a price

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