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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: season · file · swing · clip · can · rule · plane · jam

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. season — in sport
  3. swing — in golf
  4. file — a line of people
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. season — of the year
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. file — a tool
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. rule — government
  12. can — to be able to
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. file — a document
  17. clip — to cut
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. can — a tin
  20. clip — a video
  21. plane — a tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. clip — for paper
  24. swing — to play on

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