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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.

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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 · ruler · lean · drill · cue · pitch · craft · chest

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. chest — a box
  5. file — a tool
  6. pitch — completely
  7. lean — to bend
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. cue — a signal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chest — of your body
  13. cue — a hint
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. file — a line of people
  16. lean — thin
  17. cue — for pool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. craft — a skill
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. craft — boats
  24. chest — of your body

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