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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. rash — a series
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. sharp — clever
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. cell — in biology
  11. snap — to click
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. rash — hasty
  16. cell — a phone
  17. pass — a permit
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. pass — to spend time
  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