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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. can — a tin
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. branch — a division
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. snap — to click
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. can — a tin
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pass — a permit
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. can — to be able to
  23. prune — to trim
  24. plane — a tool

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