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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: bank · suit · file · dip · clip · date · racket · stand

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bank — for money
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. dip — to sink
  7. file — a document
  8. bank — of a river
  9. clip — a video
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. suit — in cards
  12. date — the fruit
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bank — for money
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. clip — for paper
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. file — a tool
  21. stand — to bear
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. clip — to cut
  24. file — a line of people

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