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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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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: saw · rest · fork · file · key · scale · board · mate

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. file — a line of people
  5. mate — to breed
  6. rest — what's left
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mate — a partner
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. mate — a friend
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. rest — a break
  17. key — the most important part
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — in music
  20. key — in music
  21. file — a document
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. saw — the tool

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