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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fall — the season
  3. track — a path
  4. fall — to drop
  5. key — the most important part
  6. fine — all right
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. board — a committee
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stock — shares
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stock — goods
  13. fine — high quality
  14. board — to get on
  15. fall — to drop
  16. track — a song
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. key — in music
  20. track — to keep track
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. trunk — of a tree

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