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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. ground — the earth
  4. degree — from a university
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. track — a song
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. ground — crushed
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. degree — an amount
  16. bark — to shout
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. plane — a tool
  20. ground — a position
  21. track — a path
  22. pass — a permit
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. degree — temperature

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