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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: root · spring · jam · temple · clip · file · swing · cabinet

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. clip — for paper
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. spring — of water
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. spring — the season
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — to play on
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. root — of a word
  17. spring — a coil
  18. root — of a plant
  19. clip — to cut
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. root — the cause
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. clip — a video

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