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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: cold · track · hide · mate · foot · bulb · rush · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a document
  3. cold — not warm
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mate — a friend
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rush — hurry
  10. file — a tool
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. mate — to breed
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cold — an illness
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mate — a partner
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. track — a song
  21. bulb — for light
  22. track — a path
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rush — to hurry

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