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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.

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: pitch · file · object · clip · bay · tube · branch · cabinet

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Hold the papers together 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. object — to protest
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. object — a thing
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. tube — a container
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. file — a tool
  16. object — an aim
  17. branch — a division
  18. clip — a video
  19. file — a document
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. clip — to cut
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. clip — for paper

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