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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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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: shower · land · stick · object · rock · file · pass · racket

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. file — a tool
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. file — a document
  5. file — a line of people
  6. shower — to wash
  7. rock — music
  8. land — to come down
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rock — a stone
  16. shower — rain
  17. land — a country
  18. object — a thing
  19. land — ground
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. object — to protest

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