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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: firm · fan · file · season · roll · coach · wave · plane

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a document
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. firm — steady
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. firm — a company
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. roll — a list
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. season — in sport
  21. firm — decided
  22. season — of the year
  23. file — a tool
  24. wave — with your hand

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