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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. bay — a horse colour
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. plane — a tool
  6. sharp — clever
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. pass — to spend time
  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