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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 120 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 was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bass — the fish
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. suit — to fit
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bass — low music
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. clip — to cut
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. drill — army training
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pass — a permit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. drill — a practice
  22. clip — a video
  23. clip — for paper
  24. pass — to succeed

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