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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: present · fan · cell · file · mug · lie · cue · can

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cue — a signal
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. file — a document
  8. cue — a hint
  9. present — a gift
  10. cell — in biology
  11. mug — to rob
  12. present — the time now
  13. cue — for pool
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mug — a cup
  19. file — a line of people
  20. cell — a phone
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mug — a face
  23. file — a tool
  24. can — a tin

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