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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. mark — a grade
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. spell — magic
  5. pop — soda
  6. tube — the underground
  7. cell — a phone
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. cell — in biology
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. pop — music
  12. tube — a container
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. pop — to visit
  15. plane — a tool
  16. spell — letters
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mark — to pay attention

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