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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. plane — a tool
  3. tube — the underground
  4. fall — to drop
  5. cue — a hint
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. field — for sport
  8. pass — a permit
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a face
  11. field — a subject
  12. fall — to drop
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. degree — an amount
  15. cue — a signal
  16. degree — temperature
  17. degree — from a university
  18. mug — a cup
  19. cue — for pool
  20. field — farmland
  21. tube — a container
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. fall — the season
  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