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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: stand · file · straw · race · can · wave · rule · pass

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. stand — to bear
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. rule — a law
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. rule — government
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. race — a contest
  14. can — to be able to
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — humankind
  19. can — a tin
  20. file — a tool
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pass — a permit
  23. file — a document
  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