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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 · plane · file · rest · last · face · patient · sharp

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. file — a line of people
  6. face — part of the head
  7. last — to go on
  8. file — a document
  9. rest — what's left
  10. plane — a tool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. file — a tool
  13. face — to point toward
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. rest — a break
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. last — final
  20. last — finally
  21. face — to confront
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rest — what's left
  24. plane — an aircraft

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