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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. plane — a tool
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. saw — the tool
  8. charge — in control
  9. saw — the tool
  10. date — the fruit
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — music
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. charge — electricity
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. charge — a price
  21. pass — a permit
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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