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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 120 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: saw · scale · tear · craft · mark · fine · file · court

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. file — a document
  3. court — of law
  4. file — a tool
  5. court — for sport
  6. file — a line of people
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. scale — in music
  11. mark — a grade
  12. fine — all right
  13. mark — a trace
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. craft — a skill
  18. scale — size or range
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. craft — boats
  22. tear — to rip
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. court — of a king

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