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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · sharp · bear · plane · chair · mark · content · roll

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bear — the animal
  4. content — the amount
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. roll — a cake
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. chair — a leader
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. pass — a permit
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. content — happy
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. plane — an aircraft

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