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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
YesNo
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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: mate · plane · bat · mug · pass · bear · racket · pop

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bat — the animal
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a face
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bear — the animal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bear — the animal
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. mate — a partner
  23. pop — music
  24. pass — to spend time

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