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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 116 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 · bear · race · can · file · last · prune · swing

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. can — a tin
  3. plane — a tool
  4. file — a tool
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. race — a contest
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. last — finally
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. can — a tin
  12. last — to go on
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bear — the animal
  15. can — to be able to
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. file — a document
  19. prune — to trim
  20. file — a line of people
  21. bear — the animal
  22. swing — in golf
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — the arms race

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