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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: roll · last · board · pitcher · craft · cabinet · file · rash

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rash — a series
  6. last — final
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. board — to get on
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. roll — a cake
  11. last — to go on
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. file — a tool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rash — hasty
  17. file — a document
  18. roll — a list
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. last — finally
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. board — a committee

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