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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fine — all right
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — from crying
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. tear — to rip
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fork — in a road
  20. track — a song
  21. plane — a tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. leaves — to go away

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