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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: mouse · plane · file · last · suit · march · snap · arm

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. march — the month
  5. suit — clothes
  6. file — a document
  7. last — finally
  8. file — a line of people
  9. snap — to click
  10. last — final
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. file — a tool
  13. march — music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. last — to go on
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. march — the month
  21. suit — to fit
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. plane — a tool
  24. arm — part of the body

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