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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 · dip · pass · plane · tube · race · swing · stand

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stand — to bear
  3. tube — the underground
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. swing — music
  6. race — humankind
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. race — the arms race
  10. swing — to play on
  11. dip — to sink
  12. race — a contest
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. swing — in golf
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. tube — a container
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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