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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: pit · bulb · can · plane · file · swing · stick · lash

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. file — a tool
  3. pit — in a race
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. file — a line of people
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pit — a hole
  10. can — a tin
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. file — a document
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bulb — for light
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. can — a tin
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. swing — to play on
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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