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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 124 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. rest — what's left
  3. suit — in cards
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. capital — money
  9. track — a song
  10. rest — what's left
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — a tool
  15. suit — to fit
  16. track — a path
  17. suit — clothes
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. roll — a list
  21. rest — a break
  22. capital — a city
  23. track — to keep track
  24. roll — a cake

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