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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. file — a tool
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. suit — in cards
  5. craft — a skill
  6. suit — clothes
  7. file — a document
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bound — certain
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bound — tied together
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. suit — to fit
  15. craft — boats
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stand — to bear
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bound — obliged
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. file — a line of people
  24. kid — child

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