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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 120 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.

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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: mine · can · ruler · stand · plane · rest · bat · pass

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. can — a tin
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mine — for digging
  15. stand — to bear
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bat — the animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. plane — a tool
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. pass — to spend time

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