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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. swing — to play on
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. swing — music
  6. hand — help
  7. stock — goods
  8. pass — a permit
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. hand — in cards
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. swing — in golf
  18. stock — shares
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. plane — a tool
  23. kick — in football
  24. rush — to hurry

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