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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. firm — decided
  6. court — of a king
  7. present — a gift
  8. plane — a tool
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. present — there
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. court — of law
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. firm — a company
  17. court — for sport
  18. foot — a measure
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. firm — steady
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. pass — a permit
  24. scale — for weighing

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