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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · perch · pit · race · clip · stand · saw · file

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. pit — in a race
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. race — the arms race
  5. file — a tool
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. file — a document
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bulb — for light
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — to cut
  12. saw — the tool
  13. race — humankind
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. saw — the tool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. race — a contest
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. clip — a video
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bulb — for light
  24. perch — the fish

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