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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. track — to keep track
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mark — a grade
  15. track — a path
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. lean — thin
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. deal — to handle
  24. plane — in geometry

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