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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pass — a permit
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. content — happy
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — a division
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. saw — the tool
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — to succeed

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