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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 116 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: file · bass · spell · hand · shower · swing · plane · pit

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pit — in a race
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. swing — in golf
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — magic
  9. hand — in cards
  10. spell — letters
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. file — a tool
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bass — the fish
  16. file — a line of people
  17. pit — a hole
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. hand — help
  21. file — a document
  22. shower — rain
  23. shower — to wash
  24. bass — low music

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