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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a tool
  4. wind — moving air
  5. file — a document
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pound — a weight
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. deal — to handle
  15. cell — in biology
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. plane — a tool
  22. cell — a phone
  23. wind — moving air
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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