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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: craft · file · lean · mouse · cabinet · ruler · snap · track

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. file — a document
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. track — a path
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. craft — boats
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. track — a song
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. track — to keep track
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a tool
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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