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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 · cell · pass · race · file · can · nail · stick

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a line of people
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. can — to be able to
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. file — a tool
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cell — a phone
  15. pass — a permit
  16. race — the arms race
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. race — humankind
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. can — a tin
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. race — a contest
  24. cell — in biology

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