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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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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: deal · file · track · pit · tube · wave · court · stick

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. file — a document
  3. tube — a container
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. court — of law
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. deal — to handle
  10. file — a line of people
  11. court — for sport
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. track — to keep track
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. pit — a hole
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pit — in a race
  19. track — a song
  20. track — a path
  21. court — of a king
  22. tube — the underground
  23. file — a tool
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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