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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: plane · stand · calf · lash · staff · pit · file · club

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. plane — a tool
  4. file — a document
  5. club — for dancing
  6. staff — a stick
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pit — in a race
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pit — a hole
  11. file — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. club — a group
  14. staff — employees
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. file — a line of people
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. staff — employees
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. club — for golf

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