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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: plane · straw · march · rock · chair · jam · firm · pass

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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. straw — dry grass
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. march — the month
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. plane — a tool
  8. march — music
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. firm — decided
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. firm — steady
  15. rock — a stone
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rock — music
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. march — the month
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. firm — a company
  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