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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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Word bank
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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: file · racket · stick · pass · mouse · hide · firm · ball

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. file — a line of people
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — steady
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pass — a permit
  13. ball — a great time
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. firm — decided
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. file — a tool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. file — a document

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