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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 120 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: craft · bowl · track · trunk · cap · cabinet · file · scale

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — to keep track
  3. cap — of ice
  4. craft — boats
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. craft — a skill
  7. track — a path
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. file — a document
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. scale — size or range
  17. cap — a lid
  18. file — a tool
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cap — a hat
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. scale — in music
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. file — a line of people

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