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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. saw — the tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. march — the month
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. saw — the tool
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. march — the month
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. game — a match
  23. march — music
  24. plane — an aircraft

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