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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: plane · file · saw · cap · march · board · temple · fan

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. march — the month
  4. file — a tool
  5. cap — of ice
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. saw — the tool
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. file — a line of people
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cap — a hat
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. cap — a lid
  16. saw — the tool
  17. file — a document
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. temple — a place of worship

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