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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.

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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pass — a permit
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. file — a line of people
  6. deal — to handle
  7. row — a line
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mug — a face
  12. row — to paddle
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. mug — to rob
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. mug — a cup
  19. file — a tool
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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