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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bound — certain
  3. rash — a series
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. stock — goods
  6. mug — to rob
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stock — shares
  9. mug — a cup
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. file — a document
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bound — tied together
  15. mug — a face
  16. file — a tool
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. rest — what's left
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rest — a break
  24. bound — obliged

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