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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. file — a tool
  6. ball — a dance
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. tear — from crying
  11. stand — to bear
  12. file — a document
  13. wake — a trail
  14. ball — a great time
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. tear — to rip
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. sharp — clever
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. tear — from crying
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. ruler — for measuring

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