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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. saw — the tool
  4. hand — in cards
  5. file — a tool
  6. object — an aim
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ball — a dance
  11. object — a thing
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. hand — help
  14. saw — the tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. object — to protest

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