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

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. file — a document
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. clip — to cut
  11. file — a tool
  12. current — electric
  13. file — a line of people
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. current — of water
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mark — a grade
  19. clip — a video
  20. current — happening now
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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