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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 120 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pit — a hole
  5. hand — help
  6. file — a document
  7. squash — the sport
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. file — a tool
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — in cards
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pit — in a race
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pound — a weight
  24. cabinet — ministers

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