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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pass — a permit
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. net — in sport
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. net — for catching
  11. mate — to breed
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mate — a friend
  14. file — a document
  15. plane — a tool
  16. file — a line of people
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. wake — a trail
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. mate — a partner
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. net — after costs
  24. file — a tool

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