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

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. file — a line of people
  4. suit — clothes
  5. track — a song
  6. stock — goods
  7. file — a tool
  8. stock — shares
  9. wound — an injury
  10. track — a path
  11. lean — thin
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lean — to bend
  17. wound — an injury
  18. track — to keep track

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