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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 · prune · file · chest · hide · nail · cabinet · cue

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cue — a hint
  3. prune — to trim
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. file — a tool
  11. cue — for pool
  12. scale — size or range
  13. prune — to trim
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chest — of your body
  17. cue — a signal
  18. file — a line of people
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. scale — in music
  21. chest — a box
  22. chest — of your body
  23. file — a document
  24. hide — animal skin

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