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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: clip · fan · coach · fork · fine · bowl · cabinet · scale

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. clip — for paper
  4. fork — in a road
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. scale — size or range
  12. fine — all right
  13. clip — a video
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. scale — in music
  23. clip — to cut
  24. fan — a supporter

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