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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. suit — in cards
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pit — in a race
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. file — a document
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pit — a hole
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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