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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 120 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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468
Word bank
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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. file — a tool
  5. pound — a weight
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bear — the animal
  12. file — a document
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. swing — in golf
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wake — a trail
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bear — the animal

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