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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.

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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 · snap · firm · shower · pitcher · tube · fan · track

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. track — to keep track
  3. tube — the underground
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. firm — steady
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. track — a song
  14. shower — rain
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. firm — decided
  17. snap — to click
  18. shower — to wash
  19. tube — a container
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. track — a path
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. firm — a company

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