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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. pass — a permit
  3. file — a line of people
  4. key — the most important part
  5. file — a tool
  6. present — the time now
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. drill — the tool
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. drill — a practice
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bank — for money
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. present — a gift
  19. suit — in cards
  20. key — in music
  21. file — a document
  22. dip — to sink
  23. drill — army training
  24. suit — to fit

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