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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 116 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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. fork — in a road
  4. suit — to fit
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wind — moving air
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bat — the animal
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. plane — a tool
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. suit — in cards

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