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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.

Make a worksheet

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: file · pop · saw · plane · wind · lean · pass · dip

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wind — moving air
  4. file — a line of people
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. plane — a tool
  8. file — a tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pop — soda
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to sink
  16. wind — moving air
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. lean — thin
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. file — a document
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pass — to spend time

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