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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. fork — in a road
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rock — a stone
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rush — hurry
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mug — to rob
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rock — music
  18. mug — a face
  19. tear — from crying
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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