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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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. can — a tin
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. lie — to recline
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — after costs
  11. file — a line of people
  12. file — a document
  13. saw — the tool
  14. file — a tool
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. can — a tin
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. net — in sport
  23. charge — in control
  24. saw — the tool

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