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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: safe · wave · lean · face · mark · rule · file · bat

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. face — to confront
  4. file — a tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. lean — thin
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to point toward
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. rule — government
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — a trace
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bat — the animal
  20. file — a document
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rule — a law
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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