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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — to paddle
  3. file — a document
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. suit — in cards
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. deal — to handle
  10. suit — clothes
  11. saw — the tool
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. file — a tool
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. file — a line of people
  17. pound — a weight
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. suit — to fit
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. saw — the 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