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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.

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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: rest · pit · pass · file · tube · ruler · wind · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pit — a hole
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pass — a permit
  8. tube — the underground
  9. file — a line of people
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rest — a break
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pit — in a race
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. tube — a container
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. file — a tool
  24. file — a document

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