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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — a company
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. staff — employees
  8. craft — a skill
  9. staff — employees
  10. file — a line of people
  11. root — the cause
  12. wind — moving air
  13. firm — steady
  14. staff — a stick
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. wind — moving air
  17. mark — a trace
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mark — a grade
  20. root — of a plant
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. root — of a word
  23. craft — boats
  24. wind — to turn a key

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