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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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. file — a line of people
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stand — to bear
  4. can — a tin
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. file — a tool
  10. foot — a measure
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bound — obliged
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. can — a tin
  15. bound — certain
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bound — tied together
  23. can — to be able to
  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