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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: file · swing · craft · plane · pass · date · saw · roll

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. swing — in golf
  3. saw — the tool
  4. plane — a tool
  5. date — the fruit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. roll — a cake
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. swing — to play on
  13. craft — a skill
  14. file — a document
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. file — a tool
  17. pass — a permit
  18. roll — a list
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. saw — the tool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. swing — music

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