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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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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 · file · swing · ruler · chair · rest · deal · rush

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. swing — to play on
  3. file — a tool
  4. swing — in golf
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. file — a line of people
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. land — a country
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. rush — hurry
  16. chair — a leader
  17. land — to come down
  18. deal — to handle
  19. rest — what's left
  20. swing — music
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. land — ground
  24. chair — to sit 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