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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
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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: march · mouse · date · charge · lie · trunk · object · file

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. file — a tool
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. charge — electricity
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. file — a document
  8. march — the month
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. date — the fruit
  11. march — the month
  12. object — an aim
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. charge — in control
  15. object — to protest
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. object — a thing
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. charge — a price
  24. file — a line of people

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