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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. suit — to fit
  4. club — a group
  5. fine — high quality
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. rush — hurry
  10. club — for golf
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. fine — all right
  13. suit — clothes
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. suit — in cards
  16. kid — child
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pass — a permit
  19. plane — a tool
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. club — for dancing
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. plane — in geometry

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