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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 116 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: plane · ball · pass · pitcher · land · spell · ruler · can

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. land — to come down
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ball — a dance
  7. land — ground
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. can — a tin
  10. spell — magic
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. ball — a great time
  20. can — to be able to
  21. spell — a short time
  22. land — a country
  23. pass — a permit
  24. can — a tin

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