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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 120 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. present — a gift
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. lean — to bend
  5. present — there
  6. key — the most important part
  7. file — a document
  8. pound — a weight
  9. present — the time now
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. file — a tool
  14. key — in music
  15. file — a line of people
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. fine — high quality
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fine — all right
  21. lean — thin
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. key — for a lock

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