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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.

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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: file · nail · wind · suit · pass · club · ball · mark

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  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. club — a group
  2. club — for dancing
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. suit — clothes
  6. file — a tool
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mark — a trace
  10. file — a document
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. file — a line of people
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. club — for golf
  17. ball — a great time
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. mark — a grade
  23. wind — moving air
  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