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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.

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: file · chest · stand · mine · cabinet · rock · mark · capital

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rock — a stone
  5. capital — a city
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. chest — a box
  8. mark — a grade
  9. file — a tool
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. chest — of your body
  13. stand — to bear
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. chest — of your body
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. capital — money
  20. rock — music
  21. mine — for digging
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. file — a line of people
  24. rock — to move gently

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