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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · clip · file · rash · branch · board · pass · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — a committee
  4. file — a document
  5. pit — in a race
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. rash — hasty
  8. board — to get on
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — a video
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. branch — a division
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pit — a hole
  17. file — a tool
  18. rash — a series
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. file — a line of people
  24. clip — to cut

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