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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: plane · track · date · arm · cap · cue · nail · file

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. track — a song
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. plane — a tool
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a line of people
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. track — to keep track
  9. cue — a hint
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. date — the fruit
  18. cue — for pool
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a lid
  23. track — a path
  24. cue — a signal

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