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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. club — a group
  3. bank — for money
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. club — for golf
  8. bank — of a river
  9. lean — thin
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bat — the animal
  12. drill — the tool
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. drill — army training
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bulb — for light
  18. club — for dancing
  19. lean — to bend
  20. drill — a practice
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bank — for money
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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