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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. cap — a lid
  3. rash — hasty
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. suit — in cards
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. deal — to handle
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cap — of ice
  13. object — a thing
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cap — a hat
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. plane — a tool
  18. tube — the underground
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — an aim
  21. suit — clothes
  22. tube — a container
  23. rash — a series
  24. plane — in geometry

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