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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. kick — in football
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. roll — a list
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a line
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pass — a permit
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. roll — a cake
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. snap — to click

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