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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: hand · bore · clip · chip · firm · rock · file · cue

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. clip — a video
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. firm — a company
  6. cue — a hint
  7. rock — a stone
  8. hand — help
  9. file — a document
  10. clip — to cut
  11. hand — in cards
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. firm — decided
  16. chip — for betting
  17. file — a tool
  18. bore — to tire
  19. clip — for paper
  20. firm — steady
  21. rock — music
  22. cue — a signal
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — to eat

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