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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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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: cabinet · deal · file · temple · suit · stick · mug · present

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. suit — to fit
  3. present — there
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — a cup
  6. suit — clothes
  7. file — a line of people
  8. present — a gift
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. deal — to handle
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. file — a document
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. present — the time now
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. mug — to rob

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