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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 water is too ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. file — a document
  3. can — a tin
  4. cell — in biology
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. file — a tool
  8. cold — an illness
  9. firm — steady
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. firm — a company
  12. cell — a phone
  13. last — to go on
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. file — a line of people
  17. firm — decided
  18. last — finally
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. last — final
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. cold — the Cold War

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