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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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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 · sharp · roll · track · cabinet · cap · arm · fine

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — of ice
  4. roll — a cake
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. file — a document
  7. sharp — clever
  8. track — a song
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. roll — a list
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fine — all right
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. file — a line of people
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a path
  24. arm — part of the body

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