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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.

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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: bear · racket · rule · lie · pit · file · lean · arm

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. file — a document
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bear — the animal
  10. file — a line of people
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — a law
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bear — the animal
  21. lean — thin
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. file — a tool
  24. racket — a loud noise

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