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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. club — for golf
  3. present — a gift
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. current — happening now
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. current — of water
  8. game — a match
  9. pass — a permit
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. club — a group
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bear — the animal
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. club — for dancing
  20. present — the time now
  21. current — electric
  22. game — wild animals
  23. cue — for pool
  24. present — there

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