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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: saw · pass · season · plane · arm · spell · present · file

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. spell — letters
  6. present — there
  7. spell — a short time
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. season — in sport
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. spell — magic
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. present — the time now
  15. file — a tool
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. saw — the tool
  19. season — of the year
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. present — a gift
  22. file — a document
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pass — to spend time

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