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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.

Make a worksheet

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: kick · pitcher · plane · jam · racket · pass · leaves · roll

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. kick — in football
  12. plane — a tool
  13. roll — a list
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. roll — a cake
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. kick — a thrill

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