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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 120 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 ________________ took off on time.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. chair — a leader
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. plane — a tool
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pass — a permit
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. prune — to trim
  13. wound — an injury
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pound — a weight
  17. mark — a grade
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bear — the animal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pass — to succeed

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