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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. kid — to tease
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. kid — child
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. firm — steady
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. plane — a tool
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for golf
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wind — moving air
  19. snap — to click
  20. firm — decided
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wind — moving air
  23. club — for dancing
  24. pass — a permit

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