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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: pass · fan · capital · plane · lie · club · pitcher · jam

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. capital — money
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. club — a group
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. club — for dancing
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. plane — a tool
  17. capital — a city
  18. lie — to recline
  19. club — for golf
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — a permit

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