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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. club — a group
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. current — happening now
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. stand — to bear
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a line
  16. plane — a tool
  17. club — for golf
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. current — of water
  21. club — for dancing
  22. current — electric
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. plane — an aircraft

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