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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
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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 · plane · last · kick · suit · game · cap

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pass — a permit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. last — final
  8. cap — a lid
  9. last — to go on
  10. suit — to fit
  11. last — finally
  12. plane — a tool
  13. cap — of ice
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — hasty
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. kick — in football
  20. rash — a series
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cap — a hat
  23. game — wild animals
  24. kick — with a leg

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