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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. march — the month
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. cap — of ice
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. pass — a permit
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. date — the fruit
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. march — music
  17. present — a gift
  18. cap — a lid
  19. present — the time now
  20. sharp — clever
  21. cap — a hat
  22. march — the month
  23. plane — a tool
  24. present — there

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