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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. capital — money
  4. plane — a tool
  5. ground — the earth
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. capital — a city
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. ground — crushed
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. deal — to handle
  16. wake — a trail
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. ground — a position
  21. firm — a company
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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