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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fine — high quality
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. file — a document
  5. bound — tied together
  6. file — a tool
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rule — a law
  10. lie — to recline
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. rule — government
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — certain
  20. ball — a great time
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. fine — all right
  24. cabinet — ministers

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