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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: craft · suit · fine · wake · clip · cabinet · file · rash

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. file — a document
  3. clip — a video
  4. suit — clothes
  5. clip — for paper
  6. clip — to cut
  7. rash — hasty
  8. file — a tool
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a skill
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. file — a line of people
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. fine — high quality
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rash — a series
  23. fine — all right
  24. wake — a trail

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