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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. lie — to recline
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rock — a stone
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. squash — the sport
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. present — there
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. plane — a tool
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — the time now
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. plane — in geometry

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