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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. file — a tool
  3. staff — employees
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. file — a document
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. band — a ring
  8. board — a committee
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pass — a permit
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. staff — a stick
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. board — to get on
  18. craft — a skill
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. band — a music group
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. craft — boats
  23. bore — to drill
  24. staff — employees

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