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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: pass · file · suit · straw · object · scale · wound · lash

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. file — a line of people
  7. object — to protest
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. file — a tool
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. scale — size or range
  13. suit — to fit
  14. file — a document
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. scale — in music
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. suit — in cards
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. object — a thing
  22. suit — clothes
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pass — a permit

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