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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pass — a permit
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wound — an injury
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. ball — a great time
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wound — an injury
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. date — the fruit
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — a trail
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. stock — goods
  24. date — on the calendar

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