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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: mark · ruler · rash · plane · pass · last · fork · present

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. present — the time now
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. last — final
  7. fork — in a road
  8. last — to go on
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. last — finally
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. present — there
  20. rash — a series
  21. present — a gift
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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