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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: lash · safe · cabinet · file · cold · pass · rush · hand

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. pass — a permit
  3. file — a tool
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rush — hurry
  7. hand — help
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. cold — not warm
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. file — a line of people
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. file — a document
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cold — an illness
  24. safe — out of danger

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