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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 120 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: file · scale · fan · wind · club · pop · suit · lash

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. file — a document
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. file — a tool
  7. club — for dancing
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. scale — in music
  11. club — for golf
  12. suit — in cards
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. file — a line of people
  16. pop — soda
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pop — music
  21. wind — moving air
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. club — a group
  24. pop — to visit

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