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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.

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: rash · pass · club · cap · spell · wave · bear · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. spell — magic
  6. club — a group
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. cap — a hat
  10. spell — letters
  11. cap — of ice
  12. plane — a tool
  13. cap — a lid
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. club — for golf
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bear — the animal
  24. club — for dancing

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