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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 was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. track — to keep track
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. scale — size or range
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bulb — for light
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — in music
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bowl — a dish

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