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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: track · file · stand · sharp · bank · scale · bound · rash

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. file — a document
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. track — a song
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bank — for money
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — in music
  15. rash — hasty
  16. sharp — clever
  17. track — a path
  18. file — a tool
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rash — a series

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