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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. can — to be able to
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. prune — to trim
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. can — a tin
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. can — a tin
  13. pass — a permit
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. prune — to trim
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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