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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: bore · staff · file · degree · rush · can · clip · safe

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. staff — employees
  3. clip — for paper
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bore — to drill
  6. staff — employees
  7. degree — from a university
  8. file — a document
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. staff — a stick
  12. file — a line of people
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. can — a tin
  16. degree — an amount
  17. clip — to cut
  18. bore — to tire
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. file — a tool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rush — to hurry

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