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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bass — low music
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. race — the arms race
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. file — a document
  10. can — to be able to
  11. file — a line of people
  12. can — a tin
  13. file — a tool
  14. can — a tin
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bass — the fish
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. race — humankind
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. race — a contest
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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