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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.

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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: tear · lie · firm · present · fan · file · last · fine

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. tear — from crying
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. file — a document
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. present — the time now
  7. last — to go on
  8. present — there
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. tear — from crying
  11. firm — a company
  12. file — a tool
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. last — final
  15. last — finally
  16. lie — to recline
  17. firm — steady
  18. present — a gift
  19. firm — decided
  20. tear — to rip
  21. fine — high quality
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fine — all right
  24. fan — a supporter

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