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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 · present · wave · track · fine · stem · wake · stick

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. fine — all right
  5. stem — to come from
  6. track — to keep track
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. track — a song
  11. track — a path
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. present — there
  15. file — a document
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. present — a gift
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wake — a trail
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. fine — high quality
  23. present — the time now
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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