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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 · nail · rash · fork · mug · file · cap · bank

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. cap — a lid
  4. rash — a series
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mug — a cup
  7. file — a document
  8. cap — of ice
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bank — for money
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rash — hasty
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. file — a line of people
  18. mug — to rob
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mug — a face
  21. bank — of a river
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. scale — in music
  24. cap — a hat

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