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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: file · clip · jam · bear · fine · suit · root · charge

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. suit — in cards
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bear — the animal
  6. suit — clothes
  7. file — a line of people
  8. charge — in control
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. suit — to fit
  11. root — of a plant
  12. file — a tool
  13. clip — to cut
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bear — the animal
  17. file — a document
  18. fine — all right
  19. clip — a video
  20. root — the cause
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. root — of a word
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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