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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. suit — in cards
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. file — a tool
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. suit — to fit
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. capital — money
  12. press — to push
  13. capital — a city
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. file — a document
  16. press — newspapers
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. suit — clothes
  21. track — to keep track
  22. press — a publisher
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. lie — to recline

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