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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 120 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
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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: rash · cabinet · clip · file · rest · bound · root · chip

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. file — a document
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rest — what's left
  6. root — the cause
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. chip — for betting
  10. rest — what's left
  11. clip — a video
  12. root — of a word
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. file — a tool
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. rash — a series
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — certain
  21. root — of a plant
  22. clip — to cut
  23. rest — a break
  24. file — a line of people

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