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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: plane · spring · fine · craft · rule · file · scale · arm

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. scale — in music
  3. spring — a coil
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. file — a tool
  6. spring — of water
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. rule — government
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. spring — the season
  14. craft — boats
  15. scale — size or range
  16. fine — high quality
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. file — a line of people
  19. rule — a law
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. craft — a handicraft

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