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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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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. fine — all right
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. file — a tool
  8. content — the amount
  9. file — a document
  10. fine — high quality
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. craft — boats
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. content — happy
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pass — a permit
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. content — videos and posts

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