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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: can · firm · pass · key · bass · lean · file · hide

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. firm — decided
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. firm — steady
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. file — a tool
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a document
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bass — low music
  17. pass — a permit
  18. firm — a company
  19. key — in music
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bass — the fish
  23. lean — to bend
  24. can — a tin

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