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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 120 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. plane — a tool
  4. scale — in music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pass — a permit
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. chip — to eat
  17. straw — a straw man
  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