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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. rash — a series
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. rash — hasty
  12. bear — the animal
  13. spell — magic
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — a line
  16. pit — a hole
  17. kick — in football
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. spell — letters
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. row — to paddle
  22. spell — a short time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bear — the animal

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