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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
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: nail · file · cell · spell · pass · bear · key · jam

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  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. spell — magic
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — a short time
  5. key — for a lock
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bear — the animal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cell — a phone
  12. file — a line of people
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. file — a document
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — in music
  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