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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. file — a tool
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. plane — a tool
  7. row — to paddle
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. file — a document
  12. pass — a permit
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. season — in sport
  16. row — a line
  17. season — of the year
  18. plane — in geometry

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