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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. file — a tool
  3. squash — the sport
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. charge — in control
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. suit — clothes
  10. file — a line of people
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. charge — a price
  16. tube — the underground
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. wake — a trail
  19. charge — electricity
  20. toast — bread
  21. tube — a container
  22. squash — to crush
  23. file — a document
  24. suit — in cards

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