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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
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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 · staff · bore · bat · can · plane · fan

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. season — of the year
  9. file — a document
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bore — to drill
  12. plane — a tool
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. staff — employees
  17. can — a tin
  18. staff — a stick
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. file — a tool
  21. staff — employees
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — in sport

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