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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. row — a line
  3. last — final
  4. bank — for money
  5. plane — a tool
  6. land — to come down
  7. bank — for money
  8. lean — to bend
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bank — of a river
  11. last — finally
  12. land — ground
  13. row — to paddle
  14. ball — a great time
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pass — a permit
  19. ball — a dance
  20. lean — thin
  21. last — to go on
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. land — a country

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