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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. suit — clothes
  5. roll — a cake
  6. band — a music group
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. suit — to fit
  10. roll — a list
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fine — all right
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. mate — to breed
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — high quality
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. suit — in cards

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