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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. spell — letters
  6. file — a document
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. spell — magic
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stand — to bear
  13. file — a tool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. file — a line of people
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. spell — a short time

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