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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: scale · file · rush · chair · cabinet · ball · stand · sharp

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. ball — a great time
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. file — a line of people
  10. sharp — clever
  11. scale — size or range
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a tool
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. scale — in music
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. chair — a leader
  22. ball — a dance
  23. stand — to bear
  24. cabinet — ministers

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