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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. hand — in cards
  3. game — a match
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. scale — in music
  8. game — wild animals
  9. scale — size or range
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. suit — to fit
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. suit — clothes
  18. hand — help
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. plane — a tool
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. suit — in cards
  24. scale — for weighing

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