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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fine — high quality
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. fine — all right
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. track — a song
  8. can — a tin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. plane — a tool
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. track — to keep track
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. mark — a grade
  17. rock — music
  18. track — a path
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. lean — thin
  21. rock — a stone
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. deal — an agreement

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