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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: staff · trunk · lie · file · kid · fine · patient · last

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. staff — employees
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. lie — to recline
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. fine — high quality
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. kid — to tease
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. last — finally
  17. last — final
  18. kid — child
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. fine — all right
  24. last — to go on

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