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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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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: nail · scale · file · firm · pitcher · racket · net · cabinet

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. file — a tool
  6. scale — in music
  7. net — for catching
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. file — a document
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. net — after costs
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. net — in sport
  24. firm — a company

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