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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.

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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: land · jam · pass · kick · lie · march · plane · swing

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. land — a country
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. lie — to recline
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. march — music
  8. swing — in golf
  9. land — to come down
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. pass — a permit
  12. march — the month
  13. kick — in football
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. land — ground
  16. march — the month
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. swing — to play on
  20. plane — a tool
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. swing — music
  24. lie — an untruth

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