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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 120 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: arm · plane · lie · bay · cold · rush · file · mug

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a line of people
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mug — a face
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. cold — an illness
  9. cold — not warm
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mug — a cup
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rush — hurry
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. plane — a tool
  24. file — a tool

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