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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 116 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: fine · file · swing · saw · stick · firm · craft · clip

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. file — a line of people
  3. clip — for paper
  4. swing — in golf
  5. craft — a skill
  6. saw — the tool
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. fine — all right
  9. firm — a company
  10. clip — a video
  11. file — a document
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. swing — to play on
  14. firm — steady
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. firm — decided
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. file — a tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. craft — boats
  24. swing — music

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