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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
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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 · last · bowl · plane · cue · arm · mate · cabinet

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cue — a hint
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. last — to go on
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cue — a signal
  8. mate — a friend
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. file — a line of people
  13. plane — a tool
  14. last — final
  15. last — finally
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. file — a tool
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. cue — for pool

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