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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 116 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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. ball — a great time
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pound — a weight
  5. craft — a skill
  6. file — a line of people
  7. key — the most important part
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. file — a tool
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — a container
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. file — a document
  24. stand — to bear

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