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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. file — a document
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. fine — all right
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. stand — to bear
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. file — a tool
  16. snap — to click
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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