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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: plane · jam · rest · stock · mate · bass · pass · last

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. mate — a friend
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. last — finally
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. plane — a tool
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bass — low music
  14. stock — shares
  15. last — to go on
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. last — final
  18. stock — goods
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bass — the fish
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mate — to breed
  23. rest — a break
  24. mate — a partner

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