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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 120 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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. key — the most important part
  4. club — for golf
  5. wake — a trail
  6. key — for a lock
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bank — for money
  9. plane — a tool
  10. mate — a friend
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. key — in music
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. march — music
  18. bank — for money
  19. club — a group
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. club — for dancing
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. pass — to succeed

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