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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.

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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: bank · file · season · bear · cabinet · pitch · scale · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bank — for money
  4. season — in sport
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. pitch — completely
  7. fall — to drop
  8. file — a line of people
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bank — of a river
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. scale — in music
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bank — for money
  20. bear — the animal
  21. file — a tool
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. file — a document
  24. fall — to drop

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