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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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Word bank
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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. file — a line of people
  4. file — a document
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mine — for digging
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. clip — to cut
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. clip — a video
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. can — a tin
  15. suit — clothes
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. suit — to fit
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. suit — in cards
  21. file — a tool
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. clip — for paper
  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