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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: land · rash · firm · foot · stick · mark · rule · file

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. file — a document
  3. firm — steady
  4. land — a country
  5. mark — a grade
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. firm — decided
  8. foot — a measure
  9. file — a tool
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rash — hasty
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. rule — a law
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rule — government
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. land — to come down
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. firm — a company
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rash — a series
  24. land — ground

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