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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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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 · pass · file · sharp · trunk · band · staff · lash

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a music group
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. staff — employees
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — clever
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. deal — to handle
  12. file — a line of people
  13. staff — a stick
  14. file — a tool
  15. pass — a permit
  16. staff — employees
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. file — a document
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. band — a rubber band

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