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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. tube — the underground
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — a container
  7. can — a tin
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. lean — to bend
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. wax — to grow
  12. file — a document
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rush — hurry
  19. foot — a measure
  20. pit — a hole
  21. can — a tin
  22. file — a tool
  23. lean — thin
  24. rush — a thrill

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