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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: pass · suit · cold · wake · leaves · lash · plane · bound

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. cold — not warm
  5. suit — clothes
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bound — certain
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bound — obliged
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. cold — an illness
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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