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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. rule — a law
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. rule — government
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. mark — a trace
  12. content — happy
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pass — a permit
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. content — the amount
  20. plane — a tool
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pass — to spend time

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