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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. clip — a video
  4. clip — to cut
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mug — a cup
  8. clip — for paper
  9. mug — to rob
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. key — the most important part
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. file — a document
  14. file — a tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mug — a face
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. saw — the tool
  19. key — in music
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. key — for a lock
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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