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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. clip — a video
  4. lean — thin
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. clip — for paper
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. file — a document
  9. staff — a stick
  10. date — the fruit
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. clip — to cut
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. stand — to bear
  18. staff — employees
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. lean — to bend
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. staff — employees
  24. ruler — for measuring

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