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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pit — a hole
  4. file — a document
  5. bear — the animal
  6. plane — a tool
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. file — a tool
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cold — not warm
  14. cue — a signal
  15. pit — in a race
  16. cue — for pool
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fine — all right
  19. cold — an illness
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bear — the animal
  23. file — a line of people
  24. fine — high quality

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