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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
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: file · track · sharp · scale · bear · fork · board · stick

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. file — a line of people
  3. track — a path
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. file — a document
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. file — a tool
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bear — the animal
  16. track — to keep track
  17. fork — in a road
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. scale — in music
  22. board — to get on
  23. scale — size or range
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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