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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: file · board · scale · mark · snap · hide · mouse · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. scale — in music
  3. snap — to click
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. file — a tool
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. file — a document
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. file — a line of people
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. board — to get on
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mark — a grade
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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