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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 116 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: saw · lie · staff · can · file · firm · present · fork

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. firm — a company
  7. present — there
  8. file — a document
  9. firm — steady
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. lie — to recline
  12. present — a gift
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. can — a tin
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. staff — a stick
  19. fork — in a road
  20. present — the time now
  21. staff — employees
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. firm — decided

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