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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: mug · racket · ball · plane · leaves · tear · pass · perch

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mug — a face
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. ball — a great time
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mug — to rob
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. perch — the fish
  10. mug — a cup
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. tear — to rip
  14. pass — a permit
  15. ball — a dance
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. tear — from crying
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. tear — from crying
  24. plane — a tool

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