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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. file — a document
  4. branch — a division
  5. pit — a hole
  6. can — a tin
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. pound — a weight
  9. rush — hurry
  10. file — a tool
  11. firm — decided
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. file — a line of people
  14. firm — steady
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pit — in a race
  19. can — a tin
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. firm — a company

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