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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: file · row · stand · clip · bay · straw · track · bore

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bore — to drill
  4. clip — for paper
  5. row — a line
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. file — a document
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. file — a tool
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. file — a line of people
  16. clip — to cut
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bore — to tire
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. clip — a video
  24. bore — gave birth

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