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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 120 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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. track — a song
  3. plane — a tool
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. can — a tin
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. can — to be able to
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. fine — all right
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. stock — shares
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. can — a tin
  20. fine — high quality
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stock — goods
  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