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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. land — a country
  4. plane — a tool
  5. mark — a grade
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. land — ground
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. charge — electricity
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. land — to come down
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mark — a trace
  19. charge — in control
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. charge — a price
  22. fall — the season
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bear — the animal

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