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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. file — a tool
  5. firm — decided
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — a permit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. tube — a container
  13. firm — steady
  14. file — a line of people
  15. chair — a leader
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — a group
  18. can — a tin
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. tube — the underground
  22. club — for golf
  23. firm — a company
  24. file — a document

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