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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. track — to keep track
  3. hand — help
  4. mark — a trace
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. track — a song
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. plane — a tool
  11. band — a ring
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. hand — in cards
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. track — a path
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. mark — a grade
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rock — music
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. band — a music group

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