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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. board — a committee
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. file — a tool
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. deal — to handle
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stock — goods
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stock — shares
  18. wind — moving air
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pass — to succeed
  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