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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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. lean — thin
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. branch — a division
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pop — music
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pop — soda
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. mate — to breed
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mate — a friend
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. lean — to bend
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pop — to visit
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mate — a partner
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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