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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. 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. hide — to keep secret
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. chest — of your body
  6. content — the amount
  7. chest — of your body
  8. content — happy
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. chest — a box
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pass — a permit
  24. 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