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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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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 · saw · cue · dip · mate · tear · pass · can

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pass — a permit
  8. file — a line of people
  9. tear — to rip
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mate — a friend
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. file — a document
  15. can — a tin
  16. tear — from crying
  17. can — to be able to
  18. mate — to breed
  19. dip — to sink
  20. tear — from crying
  21. file — a tool
  22. mate — a partner
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. can — a tin

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