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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 116 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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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 · suit · coach · perch · pass · face · object · fall

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. fall — to drop
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. face — to confront
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fall — to drop
  9. perch — the fish
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a document
  12. pass — a permit
  13. object — a thing
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fall — the season
  16. suit — in cards
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — part of the head
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. file — a tool

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