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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: cap · stock · clip · file · branch · mark · fine · leaves

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cap — of ice
  10. stock — shares
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. clip — to cut
  13. branch — a division
  14. fine — all right
  15. clip — a video
  16. mark — a grade
  17. clip — for paper
  18. file — a line of people
  19. stock — goods
  20. cap — a lid
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. file — a tool
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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