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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · wake · firm · pitcher · stick · wave · mine · leaves

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  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. firm — a company
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. file — a tool
  6. mine — for digging
  7. firm — steady
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. firm — decided
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. file — a document
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. file — a line of people
  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