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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. file — a tool
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rule — government
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bulb — for light
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rule — a law
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. firm — steady
  12. wound — an injury
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. firm — a company
  16. bulb — for light
  17. firm — decided
  18. file — a document
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. sharp — exactly

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