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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'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. tube — the underground
  3. land — a country
  4. tube — a container
  5. track — a song
  6. current — happening now
  7. land — ground
  8. file — a tool
  9. file — a document
  10. rush — hurry
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. current — electric
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. track — a path
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. land — to come down
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. current — of water
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. track — to keep track
  24. snap — to click

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