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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. file — a tool
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. track — a song
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. track — a path
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. ground — the earth
  14. file — a document
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. ground — crushed
  17. stand — to bear
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. ground — a position
  20. track — to keep track
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. arm — part of the body

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