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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: wax · cabinet · bowl · object · file · clip · leaves · rush

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. clip — a video
  3. wax — to grow
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. object — a thing
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. clip — to cut
  15. file — a tool
  16. object — an aim
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. clip — for paper
  19. object — to protest
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. file — a line of people

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