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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.

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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: toast · file · tear · root · fork · clip · fine · current

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fine — all right
  3. clip — to cut
  4. root — of a plant
  5. file — a line of people
  6. fine — high quality
  7. tear — from crying
  8. file — a document
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. current — electric
  11. clip — a video
  12. file — a tool
  13. tear — from crying
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. root — the cause
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. clip — for paper
  18. current — happening now
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. current — of water
  21. root — of a word
  22. toast — bread
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. tear — to rip

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