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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. mate — to breed
  4. plane — a tool
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pass — a permit
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. perch — the fish
  13. current — of water
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. current — happening now
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. mate — a partner
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rest — what's left
  24. current — electric

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