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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: mine · plane · file · rash · wind · can · stem · staff

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. stem — to come from
  3. file — a line of people
  4. can — to be able to
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. wind — moving air
  7. staff — employees
  8. plane — a tool
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. staff — employees
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. file — a tool
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. rash — hasty
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — for digging
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. staff — a stick
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wind — moving air
  24. rash — a series

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