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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
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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: bay · file · rash · lean · trunk · clip · tube · charge

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. file — a document
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. tube — a container
  7. charge — a price
  8. clip — to cut
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. tube — the underground
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. lean — to bend
  15. charge — in control
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — hasty
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. charge — electricity
  20. file — a line of people
  21. lean — thin
  22. file — a tool
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. clip — a video

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