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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: file · pass · mine · suit · plane · roll · spell · swing

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. roll — a list
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — for digging
  8. spell — magic
  9. pass — a permit
  10. suit — to fit
  11. file — a line of people
  12. file — a tool
  13. plane — a tool
  14. suit — clothes
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. swing — music
  19. suit — in cards
  20. roll — a cake
  21. swing — to play on
  22. file — a document
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. spell — letters

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