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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bank — of a river
  4. file — a tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. bat — the animal
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. lie — to recline
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bank — for money
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a document
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rest — a break
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. chip — for betting
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. chip — to eat

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