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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 116 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: nail · file · rock · lie · hand · suit · leaves · tear

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. tear — from crying
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rock — a stone
  6. file — a line of people
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. suit — to fit
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. hand — in cards
  11. rock — music
  12. tear — to rip
  13. suit — in cards
  14. file — a tool
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. hand — help
  17. tear — from crying
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rock — to move gently

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