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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. file — a document
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. file — a line of people
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. fine — all right
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tear — from crying
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. squash — the sport
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. branch — a division
  18. pass — a permit
  19. stand — to bear
  20. tear — from crying
  21. squash — to crush
  22. foot — a measure
  23. fine — high quality
  24. file — a tool

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