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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.

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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: cabinet · scale · fine · pit · board · spell · tube · file

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. scale — in music
  3. file — a line of people
  4. tube — a container
  5. fine — all right
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — a short time
  8. board — a committee
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. file — a document
  11. pit — a hole
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. scale — size or range
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. file — a tool
  19. tube — the underground
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fine — high quality
  24. spell — magic

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