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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 · ruler · roll · plane · clip · foot · charge · wind

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. roll — a cake
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. file — a document
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. file — a tool
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. plane — a tool
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. file — a line of people
  12. wind — moving air
  13. roll — a list
  14. clip — for paper
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — electricity
  18. clip — a video
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. charge — in control
  21. foot — a measure
  22. wind — moving air
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. clip — to cut

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