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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: craft · mug · fork · scale · file · snap · fine · leaves

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. mug — to rob
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mug — a face
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. fine — all right
  8. craft — a skill
  9. scale — size or range
  10. craft — boats
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. file — a tool
  14. mug — a cup
  15. scale — in music
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. fork — in a road
  19. file — a document
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. snap — to click
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. leaves — of a tree

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