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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: tube · fan · scale · nail · file · bass · patient · stand

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bass — low music
  6. file — a document
  7. scale — size or range
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bass — the fish
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. file — a tool
  14. stand — to bear
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. tube — a container
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bass — the instrument

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