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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: pit · club · pop · mark · clip · file · cabinet · patient

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. file — a line of people
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pit — in a race
  5. club — for dancing
  6. clip — to cut
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pop — music
  9. mark — a grade
  10. clip — for paper
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. clip — a video
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. club — a group
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. file — a tool
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. club — for golf
  19. pit — a hole
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. file — a document
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pop — to visit
  24. mark — a trace

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