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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: snap · spell · foot · ruler · hand · file · cabinet · track

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. track — to keep track
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. file — a line of people
  8. file — a tool
  9. hand — in cards
  10. track — a path
  11. snap — to click
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. file — a document
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hand — help
  16. track — a song
  17. spell — a short time
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. foot — a measure
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. spell — letters
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. spell — magic

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