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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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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: tube · cell · file · wind · lash · net · game · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a tool
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. wind — moving air
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. net — for catching
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a match
  15. tube — a container
  16. cell — in biology
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. file — a document
  21. cell — a phone
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wind — moving air
  24. plane — a tool

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