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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 116 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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. game — a match
  3. game — wild animals
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. fine — all right
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. row — a line
  14. mug — a face
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. rash — hasty
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pass — a permit
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rash — a series
  24. mug — a cup

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