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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bass — low music
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bass — the fish
  14. fine — high quality
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pitch — completely
  19. club — a group
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — for golf
  24. pass — to succeed

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