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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · cap · ruler · firm · rest · row

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. row — a line
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. firm — a company
  5. cap — of ice
  6. file — a document
  7. firm — steady
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. rest — a break
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rest — what's left
  13. firm — decided
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. file — a tool
  17. cap — a lid
  18. rest — what's left

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