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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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. plane — a tool
  3. land — to come down
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mine — for digging
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. land — a country
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. row — a line
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. land — ground

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