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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: scale · plane · band · board · rash · pit · file · arm

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. band — a music group
  3. scale — size or range
  4. pit — a hole
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. board — to get on
  8. scale — in music
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. pit — in a race
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. band — a ring
  17. file — a tool
  18. rash — hasty
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. board — a committee
  21. file — a document
  22. file — a line of people
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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