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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: spring · pass · club · file · wound · foot · plane · stand

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. pass — a permit
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. file — a line of people
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. wound — an injury
  15. foot — a measure
  16. club — for golf
  17. spring — of water
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. spring — a coil
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. spring — the season
  23. plane — a tool
  24. foot — the bottom

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