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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. march — the month
  5. hand — help
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rock — music
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. march — music
  13. hand — in cards
  14. march — the month
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — money
  17. court — of law
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. court — for sport
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. court — of a king
  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