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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: game · present · plane · bark · rock · fan · pass · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rock — a stone
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bark — to shout
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. swing — music
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pass — a permit
  14. present — there
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. present — a gift
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. game — a match
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. present — the time now
  24. rock — 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