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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. scale — size or range
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. track — a song
  12. track — a path
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. plane — a tool
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — in music
  23. pass — a permit
  24. patient — a sick person

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