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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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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: pass · jam · cold · rest · file · bore · pit · stick

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. file — a document
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pass — a permit
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bore — to tire
  9. cold — an illness
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bore — to drill
  14. file — a tool
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. pit — a hole
  17. cold — not warm
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pit — in a race
  24. jam — in traffic

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