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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. net — for catching
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bulb — for light
  6. net — after costs
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. net — in sport
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. club — a group
  17. file — a tool
  18. race — humankind
  19. bulb — for light
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pitch — completely
  22. race — the arms race
  23. club — for golf
  24. race — a contest

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