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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 · mine · key · plane · rest · rush · jam · stem

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pass — a permit
  6. rush — hurry
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. key — for a lock
  15. stem — to come from
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. rest — a break
  23. mine — for digging
  24. stem — of a plant

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