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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 116 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: fork · file · straw · leaves · firm · scale · cabinet · bulb

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. file — a line of people
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bulb — for light
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. firm — steady
  19. file — a document
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. file — a tool
  22. firm — decided
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. firm — a company

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