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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: chair · game · dip · mark · plane · pass · mouse · fork

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. game — wild animals
  8. fork — in a road
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. mark — a trace
  13. chair — a leader
  14. pass — a permit
  15. mark — a grade
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. dip — to sink
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. game — a match
  24. dip — a sauce

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