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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mate — a partner
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pass — a permit
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. board — to get on
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bear — the animal
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. last — to go on
  17. tube — a container
  18. last — final
  19. last — finally
  20. tube — the underground
  21. chip — to eat
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. chip — for betting
  24. mate — a friend

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