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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. plane — a tool
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. pop — music
  8. craft — boats
  9. charge — in control
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pop — to visit
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pop — soda
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. charge — a price
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. snap — to click
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. last — finally
  23. pass — a permit
  24. last — to go on

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