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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. track — a song
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rash — a series
  15. capital — a city
  16. kick — in football
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. track — a path
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. capital — money
  24. rash — hasty

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