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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: file · board · band · hide · root · pit · tube · present

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. root — of a plant
  3. present — the time now
  4. board — to get on
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. root — of a word
  10. present — there
  11. band — a music group
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. tube — a container
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. board — a committee
  18. band — a ring
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. present — a gift
  22. file — a document
  23. root — the cause
  24. file — a tool

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