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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. last — finally
  5. chip — for betting
  6. last — to go on
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. march — the month
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. march — the month
  13. last — final
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. cue — a signal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bat — the animal
  21. march — music
  22. cue — a hint
  23. plane — a tool
  24. cue — for pool

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