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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: file · staff · row · rule · firm · bay · object · patient

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. rule — a law
  3. file — a line of people
  4. firm — a company
  5. file — a document
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. staff — employees
  10. row — a line
  11. row — to paddle
  12. firm — steady
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — to protest
  17. rule — government
  18. firm — decided
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. staff — employees
  21. file — a tool
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bay — a horse colour

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