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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. file — a document
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — a trail
  8. clip — to cut
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — to crush
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. spell — letters
  13. pass — a permit
  14. spell — magic
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. clip — for paper
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. file — a line of people
  20. clip — a video
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. spell — a short time
  24. squash — the vegetable

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