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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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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: mark · pass · ruler · hand · bear · lie · snap · plane

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. mark — a trace
  12. plane — a tool
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — in cards
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pass — a permit
  22. hand — help
  23. bear — the animal
  24. snap — to click

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