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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.

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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: cabinet · pass · club · ball · roll · file · suit · tear

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. roll — a cake
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. suit — clothes
  8. file — a line of people
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. file — a document
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ball — a great time
  14. club — a group
  15. tear — from crying
  16. club — for golf
  17. pass — a permit
  18. club — for dancing
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. tear — to rip
  21. file — a tool
  22. ball — a dance
  23. roll — a list
  24. tear — from crying

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