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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. present — a gift
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. present — the time now
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mark — a grade
  15. rest — a break
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mark — a trace
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a line
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. rest — what's left

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