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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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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: clip · file · rush · content · coach · suit · stand · nail

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. content — the amount
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. file — a document
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. suit — to fit
  9. file — a tool
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. file — a line of people
  12. clip — to cut
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. clip — a video
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rush — hurry
  19. suit — clothes
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. content — happy
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stand — to bear

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