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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 120 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: deal · fan · file · mate · wake · object · cabinet · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. file — a tool
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. file — a line of people
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wake — a trail
  8. file — a document
  9. mate — a friend
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. object — a thing
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. object — to protest
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. object — an aim
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wake — before a funeral

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