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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. file — a tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. drill — army training
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lie — to recline
  8. saw — the tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. scale — in music
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. scale — size or range
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. drill — the tool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. file — a document
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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