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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rest · file · trunk · board · hand · stick · sharp · saw

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. file — a line of people
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. file — a document
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. board — to get on
  7. hand — in cards
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. saw — the tool
  16. sharp — clever
  17. hand — help
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. file — a tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. board — a committee
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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