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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 don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. track — a path
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. snap — to click
  5. track — a song
  6. plane — a tool
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — to crush
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. row — to paddle
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. row — a line
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. track — to keep track
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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