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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 120 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: bay · file · stand · pound · pass · cell · net · craft

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. file — a document
  5. file — a line of people
  6. net — for catching
  7. cell — in biology
  8. stand — to bear
  9. file — a tool
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. net — after costs
  14. cell — a phone
  15. craft — boats
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. net — in sport
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stand — on your feet

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