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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. can — a tin
  4. pass — a permit
  5. club — for golf
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. can — a tin
  8. file — a document
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — for sport
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. field — a subject
  18. file — a line of people
  19. pit — a hole
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pit — in a race
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. file — a tool
  24. calf — of the leg

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