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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: march · plane · rest · net · nail · hide · rock · pass

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rock — a stone
  3. march — music
  4. pass — a permit
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. net — for catching
  9. rock — music
  10. march — the month
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. plane — a tool
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — in sport
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. rest — what's left
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. march — the month

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