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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: snap · present · track · coach · plane · scale · cabinet · file

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. file — a tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. plane — a tool
  7. track — a path
  8. snap — to click
  9. file — a line of people
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. scale — size or range
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. track — to keep track
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. file — a document
  21. scale — in music
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — there

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