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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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. firm — a company
  4. file — a document
  5. firm — decided
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. fork — in a road
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. perch — the fish
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. track — a song
  15. track — a path
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — a signal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. cue — for pool
  21. firm — steady
  22. track — to keep track
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. stand — to bear

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