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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. ground — the earth
  8. hand — in cards
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. ground — a position
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. ground — crushed
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. hand — help
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a tree

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