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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: suit · row · scale · game · cell · file · lean · pass

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — in music
  4. file — a document
  5. game — a match
  6. file — a tool
  7. lean — to bend
  8. file — a line of people
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. suit — in cards
  12. row — a line
  13. game — wild animals
  14. cell — a phone
  15. suit — to fit
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. row — to paddle
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cell — in biology
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. lean — thin
  22. pass — a permit
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. row — a quarrel

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