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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. plane — a tool
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. stand — to bear
  9. can — to be able to
  10. track — to keep track
  11. mark — a trace
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. mark — a grade
  15. capital — money
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. track — a song
  18. can — a tin
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. suit — in cards
  21. roll — a list
  22. can — a tin
  23. capital — a city
  24. track — a path

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