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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 120 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
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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: staff · snap · clip · can · ground · mug · file · fork

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. can — a tin
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mug — a cup
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. clip — to cut
  7. fork — in a road
  8. ground — crushed
  9. clip — for paper
  10. file — a line of people
  11. clip — a video
  12. file — a document
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. snap — to click
  16. staff — a stick
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. ground — a position
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — to rob
  24. fork — to eat with

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