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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. net — after costs
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. file — a tool
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. cue — for pool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. shower — to wash
  11. cue — a hint
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. net — in sport
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. net — for catching
  16. file — a document
  17. last — finally
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. cue — a signal
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. last — to go on
  23. shower — rain
  24. last — final

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