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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. pop — to visit
  4. track — to keep track
  5. land — to come down
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pop — soda
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. track — a song
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pop — music
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. land — ground
  17. plane — a tool
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. track — a path
  20. bear — the animal
  21. land — a country
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. ruler — for measuring

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