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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: rest · suit · file · present · face · scale · tube · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. face — to confront
  3. present — the time now
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. suit — to fit
  7. file — a document
  8. present — a gift
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. present — there
  15. rest — what's left
  16. suit — in cards
  17. scale — size or range
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. face — part of the head
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — the underground
  22. file — a tool
  23. suit — clothes
  24. face — to point toward

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