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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  2. track — a path
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. key — for a lock
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. key — in music
  12. scale — size or range
  13. band — a ring
  14. track — to keep track
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. track — a song
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. key — the most important part
  19. plane — a tool
  20. scale — in music
  21. rush — hurry
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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