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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. file — a tool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. firm — steady
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. suit — clothes
  8. file — a document
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. firm — decided
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. file — a line of people
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. suit — to fit
  21. firm — a company
  22. snap — to click
  23. bass — low music
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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