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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
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: can · file · ground · mug · march · mate · bear · lie

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. file — a document
  3. mug — to rob
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ground — the earth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ground — a position
  9. march — music
  10. mug — a face
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a friend
  13. ground — crushed
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bear — the animal
  23. file — a tool
  24. file — a line of people

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