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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 116 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. track — a path
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. suit — clothes
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rest — what's left
  14. track — a song
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rest — what's left
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. track — to keep track
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rest — a break

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