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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 120 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
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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: spell · game · lash · tube · track · plane · file · staff

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. track — to keep track
  3. spell — magic
  4. file — a tool
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. staff — employees
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. tube — the underground
  11. file — a document
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. spell — letters
  15. game — wild animals
  16. plane — a tool
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. track — a song
  21. spell — a short time
  22. track — a path
  23. game — a match
  24. file — a line of people

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