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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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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: present · rash · file · clip · deal · stick · suit · band

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. clip — to cut
  3. rash — a series
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. file — a document
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — a gift
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. band — a ring
  11. present — there
  12. clip — for paper
  13. suit — to fit
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. clip — a video
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. band — a music group
  19. file — a tool
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. file — a line of people
  22. rash — hasty
  23. suit — clothes
  24. deal — a big deal

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