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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pass — a permit
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. swing — music
  15. track — to keep track
  16. suit — clothes
  17. swing — to play on
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. track — a song
  23. swing — in golf
  24. track — a path

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