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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. march — the month
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pound — a weight
  9. march — music
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. net — in sport
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. net — for catching
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bat — the animal
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. march — the month
  20. wake — a trail
  21. plane — a tool
  22. net — after costs
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bat — for baseball

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