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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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mate — to breed
  3. track — to keep track
  4. can — a tin
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mate — a friend
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. land — ground
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. land — to come down
  13. wind — moving air
  14. land — a country
  15. track — a path
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — government
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. plane — a tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. mate — a partner
  24. track — a song

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