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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 116 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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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: racket · bowl · lie · straw · scale · file · firm · fork

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a tool
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. lie — to recline
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fork — in a road
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. scale — size or range
  13. firm — steady
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. firm — a company
  16. scale — in music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. firm — decided
  21. file — a document
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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