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

Word bank: track · key · file · cell · wake · suit · can · bear

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. track — a path
  5. file — a document
  6. cell — in biology
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bear — the animal
  11. key — for a lock
  12. suit — clothes
  13. key — in music
  14. file — a line of people
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bear — the animal
  17. track — a song
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. suit — in cards
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. cell — a phone
  23. track — to keep track
  24. file — a tool

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