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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.

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: plane · saw · swing · object · shower · pass · mug · racket

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. object — a thing
  6. pass — a permit
  7. plane — a tool
  8. swing — music
  9. object — to protest
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. shower — rain
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. shower — to wash
  16. swing — to play on
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mug — a face
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. swing — in golf
  21. saw — the tool
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. object — an aim
  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