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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.

Words on the sheet
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: plane · wave · rush · pass · mouse · band · swing · bat

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. band — a ring
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. swing — music
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bat — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. plane — a tool
  23. rush — hurry
  24. band — a music 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