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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: mug · present · cabinet · pit · fan · lie · file · firm

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. firm — a company
  3. file — a tool
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. firm — decided
  6. present — a gift
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. firm — steady
  11. mug — a cup
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — there
  15. mug — to rob
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pit — a hole
  18. mug — a face
  19. pit — in a race
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lie — to recline
  22. file — a line of people
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. file — a document

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