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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a document
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. cue — for pool
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. cue — a signal
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mine — for digging
  17. wound — an injury
  18. shower — to wash
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. craft — boats
  22. shower — rain
  23. pass — a permit
  24. file — a tool

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