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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: rest · march · file · wake · trunk · charge · cabinet · hide

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. file — a line of people
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. charge — in control
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wake — a trail
  11. charge — a price
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. file — a tool
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. rest — what's left
  17. march — the month
  18. file — a document
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. march — music
  22. march — the month
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rest — what's left

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