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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. suit — to fit
  5. tear — to rip
  6. key — in music
  7. tear — from crying
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. object — an aim
  10. cell — in biology
  11. file — a document
  12. object — a thing
  13. pass — a permit
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. cell — a phone
  18. file — a tool
  19. suit — clothes
  20. tear — from crying
  21. suit — in cards
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. object — to protest

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