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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 116 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. present — the time now
  3. clip — a video
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. pit — in a race
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. clip — for paper
  10. present — there
  11. staff — employees
  12. file — a document
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. staff — employees
  16. clip — to cut
  17. present — a gift
  18. bass — the fish
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bass — low music
  21. staff — a stick
  22. file — a tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pit — a hole

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