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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.

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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: rule · bay · fine · file · lie · root · cabinet · kid

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. file — a document
  4. kid — child
  5. rule — government
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. fine — high quality
  8. root — of a plant
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. kid — to tease
  11. file — a tool
  12. fine — all right
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. lie — to recline
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rule — a law

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