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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. chest — of your body
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. file — a tool
  6. swing — in golf
  7. file — a document
  8. fine — all right
  9. chest — a box
  10. file — a line of people
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. chest — of your body
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. swing — music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fine — high quality

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