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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. can — a tin
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. stand — to bear
  7. can — to be able to
  8. track — a path
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. content — happy
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. can — a tin
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. plane — a tool
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. key — the most important part
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. track — to keep track
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. content — the amount

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