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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. degree — from a university
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. can — a tin
  10. wax — to grow
  11. can — to be able to
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. can — a tin
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. degree — an amount
  23. degree — temperature
  24. plane — a tool

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