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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. file — a tool
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. club — for dancing
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. file — a document
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. file — a line of people
  11. band — a music group
  12. can — a tin
  13. club — a group
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. can — to be able to
  16. club — for golf
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a rubber band

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