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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.

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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: staff · plane · chip · saw · shower · bank · file · firm

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. chip — to eat
  3. staff — a stick
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. shower — to wash
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. firm — steady
  9. file — a line of people
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. saw — the tool
  12. staff — employees
  13. file — a document
  14. saw — the tool
  15. firm — decided
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bank — of a river
  19. staff — employees
  20. bank — for money
  21. shower — rain
  22. file — a tool
  23. firm — a company
  24. bank — for money

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