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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. file — a line of people
  3. ball — a dance
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. can — a tin
  6. swing — to play on
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. swing — music
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. file — a document
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. swing — in golf
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. can — to be able to
  24. file — a tool

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