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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a document
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. present — a gift
  7. object — to protest
  8. present — there
  9. suit — to fit
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — a thing
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. present — the time now
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bear — the animal
  22. suit — in cards
  23. file — a tool
  24. deal — an agreement

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