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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wound — an injury
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. wound — an injury
  9. capital — a city
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pass — a permit
  15. object — to protest
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. object — a thing
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mine — for digging
  20. object — an aim
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. capital — money
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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