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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: tear · leaves · pit · plane · pass · firm · track · straw

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. tear — from crying
  4. track — to keep track
  5. plane — a tool
  6. tear — from crying
  7. firm — a company
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. track — a song
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. track — a path
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — in a race
  18. tear — to rip
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. firm — decided
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. firm — steady
  24. plane — in geometry

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