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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: pass · wind · plane · mouse · tube · ball · spell · coach

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. ball — a dance
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. spell — a short time
  14. ball — a great time
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. tube — a container
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. spell — letters
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wind — moving air
  21. spell — magic
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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