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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: scale · pass · cold · suit · ruler · club · firm · file

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. scale — in music
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. file — a document
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. club — for golf
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. file — a tool
  13. cold — not warm
  14. pass — a permit
  15. club — for dancing
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. suit — to fit
  18. firm — steady
  19. file — a line of people
  20. cold — an illness
  21. scale — size or range
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. club — a group

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