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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. track — a path
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. saw — the tool
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mark — a grade
  11. chip — to eat
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. track — a song
  14. mark — a trace
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. chip — for betting
  17. can — a tin
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. swing — in golf
  22. track — to keep track
  23. saw — the tool
  24. can — a tin

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