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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: firm · season · suit · plane · spring · racket · pop · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. spring — the season
  7. suit — to fit
  8. spring — a coil
  9. plane — a tool
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. suit — clothes
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. firm — a company
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pop — soda
  21. season — in sport
  22. spring — of water
  23. season — of the year
  24. plane — an aircraft

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