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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rest — what's left
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. pass — a permit
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fine — all right
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. plane — a tool
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. pass — to spend time

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