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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: file · cabinet · cue · ball · trunk · cap · fine · row

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ball — a great time
  5. fine — all right
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. fine — high quality
  9. row — a line
  10. row — to paddle
  11. cue — a hint
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. cap — a lid
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cue — for pool
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a tool
  21. cap — of ice
  22. ball — a dance
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. file — a document

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