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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. suit — to fit
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — an aim
  5. file — a document
  6. suit — in cards
  7. track — to keep track
  8. fine — high quality
  9. track — a song
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. track — a path
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — moving air
  15. file — a line of people
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. suit — clothes
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. file — a tool
  20. object — to protest
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wave — with your hand

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