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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. spell — letters
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mug — a face
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mug — to rob
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pass — a permit
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. plane — a tool

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