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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pass — a permit
  7. degree — temperature
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chest — of your body
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. chest — a box
  13. last — to go on
  14. degree — an amount
  15. last — finally
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. degree — from a university
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. kick — in football
  24. last — final

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