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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. pass — a permit
  4. hand — help
  5. snap — to click
  6. firm — steady
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — a weight
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. plane — a tool
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. toast — bread
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. hand — in cards
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. pass — to spend time

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