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

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spring — of water
  4. scale — size or range
  5. file — a line of people
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bank — for money
  11. spring — the season
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bank — of a river
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. stock — goods
  18. charge — a price
  19. file — a document
  20. bank — for money
  21. stock — shares
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. scale — in music
  24. stock — a soup base

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