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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pop — soda
  3. kick — in football
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mine — for digging
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pop — music
  12. plane — a tool
  13. fall — the season
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. pop — to visit
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pass — a permit
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mate — a partner
  24. fall — to drop

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