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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The ________________ took off on 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. pass — to spend time
  2. bear — the animal
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. date — the fruit
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. land — ground
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. land — a country
  13. land — to come down
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bear — the animal
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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