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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: fork · file · board · toast · nail · cabinet · rash · prune

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. file — a line of people
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. board — to get on
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. board — a committee
  16. rash — hasty
  17. prune — to trim
  18. file — a document
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rash — a series
  23. fork — in a road
  24. prune — to trim

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