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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: track · file · band · sharp · season · cabinet · firm · suit

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. suit — in cards
  5. track — to keep track
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a tool
  10. band — a music group
  11. track — a song
  12. track — a path
  13. band — a ring
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. suit — to fit
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — of the year
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. suit — clothes
  22. file — a line of people
  23. firm — steady
  24. season — in sport

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