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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  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. wake — before a funeral
  2. pass — a permit
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. wake — a trail
  5. key — for a lock
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. last — final
  9. key — in music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. last — to go on
  14. key — the most important part
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a partner
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. last — finally
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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