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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. dip — to sink
  3. row — a line
  4. plane — a tool
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. suit — to fit
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mine — for digging
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. row — to paddle
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. suit — clothes
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. stand — to bear

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