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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
468
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: file · leaves · cell · rush · kick · spring · drill · firm

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. file — a tool
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. spring — a coil
  5. drill — a practice
  6. spring — the season
  7. drill — army training
  8. file — a document
  9. firm — decided
  10. spring — of water
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. firm — a company
  16. drill — the tool
  17. firm — steady
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. kick — in football
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. file — a line of people
  24. leaves — to go away

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