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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 116 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
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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: tube · file · rush · cabinet · shower · spell · craft · scale

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. scale — size or range
  5. file — a line of people
  6. shower — to wash
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. file — a tool
  10. tube — a container
  11. craft — a skill
  12. spell — magic
  13. scale — in music
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. file — a document
  19. rush — hurry
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. craft — boats
  22. tube — the underground
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. scale — for weighing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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