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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: nail · firm · press · spring · spell · plane · file · scale

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. file — a tool
  4. spring — a coil
  5. firm — decided
  6. plane — a tool
  7. firm — steady
  8. scale — size or range
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — to push
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. scale — in music
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. spring — of water
  17. press — newspapers
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spring — the season
  21. firm — a company
  22. spell — a short time
  23. file — a line of people
  24. plane — an aircraft

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