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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 116 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pass — a permit
  3. present — a gift
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. fork — in a road
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. present — the time now
  10. content — happy
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. present — there
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. plane — a tool
  24. content — the amount

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