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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fine · lean · mug · court · cold · file · suit · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. file — a document
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cold — not warm
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. suit — clothes
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — high quality
  12. court — of a king
  13. mug — to rob
  14. cold — an illness
  15. lean — thin
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. file — a tool
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rush — hurry
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of law
  22. file — a line of people
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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