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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.

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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 · scale · chip · band · plane · pitcher · key · temple

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. file — a tool
  7. key — the most important part
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. band — a ring
  11. key — for a lock
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. key — in music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. plane — a tool
  17. scale — size or range
  18. chip — for betting
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. scale — in music
  21. file — a line of people
  22. chip — to eat
  23. band — a music group
  24. plane — in geometry

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