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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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Word bank
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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. sharp — clever
  8. swing — in golf
  9. can — to be able to
  10. swing — to play on
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pass — a permit
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. swing — music
  21. game — a match
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. sharp — with an edge

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