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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bank — of a river
  3. file — a document
  4. present — a gift
  5. bank — for money
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — of ice
  9. suit — clothes
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — a friend
  14. file — a line of people
  15. suit — to fit
  16. file — a tool
  17. wake — a trail
  18. present — there
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bank — for money
  21. present — the time now
  22. cap — a hat
  23. mate — to breed
  24. suit — in cards

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