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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
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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: file · trunk · mate · clip · nail · craft · season · object

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. craft — a skill
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. clip — a video
  7. mate — to breed
  8. object — an aim
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. file — a line of people
  12. mate — a friend
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. clip — to cut
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. file — a tool
  17. clip — for paper
  18. mate — a partner
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — to protest
  22. season — of the year
  23. craft — boats
  24. season — in sport

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