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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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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. charge — in control
  3. rock — a stone
  4. spring — the season
  5. last — to go on
  6. spring — of water
  7. chair — a leader
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. last — final
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pass — a permit
  16. spring — a coil
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. charge — a price
  20. last — finally
  21. plane — a tool
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. charge — electricity

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