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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · current · racket · clip · mark · hide · plane · foot

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  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. clip — a video
  2. file — a tool
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. file — a document
  7. current — happening now
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. foot — a measure
  11. clip — for paper
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mark — a grade
  15. current — of water
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. current — electric
  18. mark — a trace
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. foot — part of the body
  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