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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. fall — to drop
  3. file — a line of people
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. root — the cause
  6. date — the fruit
  7. pound — a weight
  8. fall — the season
  9. file — a tool
  10. snap — to click
  11. root — of a word
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. root — of a plant
  16. fall — to drop
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. file — a document
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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