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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 120 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. file — a line of people
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. file — a tool
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pass — a permit
  14. file — a document
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. track — a path
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. track — to keep track
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. chair — a leader
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stock — shares
  24. nail — for a hammer

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