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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. file — a document
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — a practice
  8. suit — in cards
  9. file — a line of people
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. tube — the underground
  12. drill — the tool
  13. suit — to fit
  14. sharp — clever
  15. suit — clothes
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. can — a tin
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. tube — a container
  21. wind — moving air
  22. file — a tool
  23. wind — moving air
  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