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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. plane — a tool
  3. wind — moving air
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. game — a match
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. sharp — clever
  19. march — the month
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. game — wild animals
  23. wind — moving air
  24. sharp — exactly

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