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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fan · season · jam · pitch · chip · plane · stick · file

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. chip — for betting
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. plane — a tool
  8. file — a document
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. season — in sport
  15. file — a tool
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. season — of the year
  21. file — a line of people
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. season — to add flavour

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