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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — part of the head
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. lean — thin
  15. ball — a dance
  16. face — to confront
  17. bark — to shout
  18. file — a line of people
  19. foot — a measure
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. file — a document

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