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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 120 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
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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 · racket · bank · object · sharp · chair · snap · file

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. file — a document
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. object — an aim
  6. sharp — clever
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. object — a thing
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. plane — a tool
  13. file — a tool
  14. chair — a leader
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. object — to protest
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bank — for money
  23. file — a line of people
  24. snap — to click

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