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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: mark · file · bowl · rule · pitch · cabinet · bound · prune

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. file — a tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bound — obliged
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. rule — government
  14. bound — certain
  15. mark — a grade
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. file — a document
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mark — a trace
  21. prune — to trim
  22. file — a line of people
  23. rule — a law
  24. bowl — a dish

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