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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  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. plane — in geometry
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bound — certain
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — the animal
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bound — obliged
  11. mate — a partner
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mate — to breed
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bound — tied together
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. pass — a permit
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. mark — to pay attention
  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